"Uh... Xiao Wu, get to the point!" Lin Zhifang forcefully swallowed the tea stuck in his throat; it was the first time he found a good cup of tea so difficult to swallow.
"Yes!" Wu Shuang handed the report she got from the forensic doctor to Lin Zhifang: "The deceased suffered heavy blows to the head and chest twice, the cause of death was drowning, besides, the face was flayed off with mercury infusion."
Xiao Lin glanced at Lin Zhifang. The imagination of a policeman is not as rich as an artist’s. Seeing his flushed face, one can tell how painful enduring is. If Wu Shuang continues to report arbitrarily, this director will surely lose his composure and vomit on the spot.
This time Wu Shuang understood Xiao Lin’s words: "I’ll immediately send someone to inquire at various plastic surgery hospitals."
"No use!" Xiao Lin stopped Wu Shuang, admiring her quick response.
"Currently, only three people in the world can perform this technique, you won’t find them."
Making masks is not a difficult task; it’s a form of folk art. The materials for masks are diverse. A skilled craftsman can carve exquisite micro masks on a grain of rice, while some craftsmen can make masks so delicate they almost resemble real people. Today, such techniques have become lost art, an interruption without continuation.
It’s said that in deep mountains north of the Capital City, there is still a tradition of making skin masks. This method is extremely cruel, but the masks created are realistic and durable, worn like a second layer of skin on the face, light, breathable, and hard to detect. Xiao Lin first thought of this person, but the age of this craftsman is near a hundred, making it unlikely, besides, this person has an eccentric personality and never leaves the mountains.
"You say you can’t find them, does that mean you won’t try to search or investigate?"
"Hehe! Just because you can’t find them, doesn’t mean others can’t."
"You..." Wu Shuang suddenly confronted Xiao Lin. She was really fed up with his arrogance, and her goodwill towards him was once again extinguished.
"Officer Wu, don’t always resort to fighting every time we meet!" Blocking Wu Shuang’s flying kick with both hands, he moved closer to Lin Zhifang: "Director Lin, your officers are really impressive."
"Xiao Wu, what are you doing?" Seeing the situation, Lin Zhifang quickly intervened, placing his left hand to block Wu Shuang’s spinning kick. His arm instantly felt sore and numb. He secretly frowned; the strength was no small matter. It seems he is truly getting old. In the past, such physical blows were nothing to him.
"Dr. Xiao was invited by me to help with the investigation, what is your attitude!"
After all, Lin Zhifang is the director; Wu Shuang cannot disobey his words nor disrespect him. She stood aside, panting without making a sound, glaring at Xiao Lin with such intensity that she could almost burn holes into him.
Xiao Lin suddenly felt chills all over; being glared at by a beauty is really terrifying: "Director Lin, arrange another meeting for me, then I will handle the paperwork. I want to take the person away today."
"I haven’t received any documentation yet."
"I’ll naturally arrange that later, prepare the room first; this person may be crucial to solving the case."
After some contemplation, Lin Zhifang nodded.
Upon seeing Consort Ling again, he looked much cleaner, dressed neatly, even his hair underwent trimming.
"They treated you quite well!" Xiao Lin teased.
"That’s thanks to you; such preferential treatment must make others envious!" Consort Ling smoothed his hair; he was a person who loved beauty, his slender fingers had nails trimmed very cleanly.
"Why didn’t you escape when you could have touched weapons?" For an assassin, any tool can be utilized. A master like Consort Ling, leaving here shouldn’t be difficult.
"You asked me this last time. My answer remains the same."
"You must know, once you entered here, you became a dead man. Even if you are still alive, they will come sooner or later." Xiao Lin leaned back in his chair, finding Consort Ling much harder to persuade than expected, with almost no breakthrough.
"’Black Crow’ won’t spare you."
"Likewise, will Dragon Soul spare me?" Consort Ling glanced sideways at Xiao Lin. He had a good first impression of him, which led him to help then, although it felt somewhat redundant. In terms of skills or courage, he was inferior to this person in every regard. But this awkward situation now oddly hinted at somewhat of a relief.
An assassin is also a businessman, weighing pros and cons from both sides. When facing targets, choice time is only a second, just like the calmness needed when pulling the trigger, devoid of distractions. Consort Ling now is devoid of distractions; perhaps he is really numb reaching a state.
"Dragon Soul won’t, but I will!"
Consort Ling laughed: "Maybe you are a military doctor, but you’re not a god!" His arrogant tone felt ridiculous to himself, not because of Xiao Lin. Since when did he, the eradicator of the ’Black Crow,’ need to survive in this way?
"I am not a god, but I need your help." Xiao Lin left the backrest and put his arms on the table, sensing damage to his self-esteem from the laughter: "I still believe everyone cherishes their life, whether you admit it or not, it’s a fact. So how about we make an equal exchange?"
Consort Ling didn’t reply, just met Xiao Lin’s gaze with his gentle face.
"My life for yours, same as you for mine!"
Consort Ling thought of countless ways Xiao Lin might persuade him, but he never imagined he would entrust his life into his hands. If anyone else in such an environment said the same line, it would be considered a mockery, but with Xiao Lin, he didn’t know why his words felt magical, making it irresistible.
"You shouldn’t trust an assassin’s promise!" Consort Ling took some time to rebuild his defenses, but that line trembled, ready to break anytime.
"Assassins don’t promise!" Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs NoveI[F]ire.net
Indeed, as an assassin, Consort Ling never promised anyone: "I have killed countless people, they all deserved to die. I’m sure you’ve also killed many, and they also deserved to die."
"If you have killed any innocent person, then believe me, I wouldn’t be sitting here but would have fulfilled your wish in our first meeting." Xiao Lin tapped the table with his fingers. Consort Ling could control himself well, though internally shaken, he maintained an expressionless facade. (To be continued. If you work, please visit qidian.com to vote for recommendations or monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)