Chapter 432: Murder Weapons
Translator: Lonelytree
“This means that the victim was injured on the head during the struggle. It was why the blood landed everywhere. However, the cuts on the neck were delivered after the victim was incapacitated. He had lost the ability to resist. The flow of the blood drip supports that theory too. Do you understand now?”
Qin Xuan swallowed his saliva. He should have noticed this. Then something hit Qin Xuan. He understood why Mo Li was following this line of inquiry! “I get it now! Since the victim was incapacitated and the injuries on his head were enough to cause him death, why did the killer still deliver so many cuts on his neck? There is only one possibility, the killer wanted to make sure that the victim is dead! So the chance of the killer knowing the victim is very high!”
Mo Li finally gave him an approving nod. “Yes, that’s what I meant. A stranger wouldn’t want the victim to die so desperately. So when and how did you think the killer enter the crime scene?”
As they left the morgue, Qin Xuan mulled over the question Mo Li posed. He thought out loud, “The victim’s clothes were neat and we found the toiletries that he normally brought to the gym with him beside his body. Perhaps the killer followed him back from the gym? The killer ambushed the victim at the door. So we should focus the investigation on the people who interacted with the victim at the gym.”
“Why do you think the victim was attacked at the door?” Mo Li asked.
“Well, it is based on evidence. There is a bloody palmprint near the front door. But there was no sign of struggle near the front door… Why is that…” Qin Xuan pondered. “I have simulated a scenario in my mind, but I have no idea if it’s correct or not. Li Hui was wearing his slippers so perhaps he was attacked after he changed his shoes at the door. After he was assaulted, his hands went to grab the wound. He then held the wall to steady himself. That was how the palmprint was left there. The killer chased Li Hui to the living room and that was where they fought it out. Li Hui was muscular but he had a head injury and the killer had a weapon. Eventually, he died.”
Mo Li nodded as if agreeing with Qin Xuan but then she added, “Your deduction is good but one question, why didn’t the killer strike at a location outside the neighborhood? It would be easier to deal with the body outside. Why did the killer wait until Li Hui was home and then strike?”
Qin Xuan was stumped. How he wished he was Conan or Sherlock. “Perhaps the killer wants something at Li Hui’s home?”
“Since the killer knew Li Hui, why not just enter Li Hui’s home? Why kill Li Hui?”
Qin Xuan took a deep breath. He had no answer too but since Mo Li had asked, he would try his best to answer. “Perhaps the killer only knew Li Hui but not where he lived? Or perhaps the killer was at Li Hui’s home when they thought Li Hui was not home but Li Hui had come home.”
Mo Li nodded again. She said, “Those are viable possibilities.”
It was around 4 pm when the autopsy ended. Mo Li and Qin Xuan were quite hungry so they cleaned up and headed to the hospital canteen.
Mo Li sat down at the canteen table and said, “Do you think it was possible that someone was hiding in the victim’s home to ambush him?”
“Impossible.” Xiao Rui appeared out of thin air and sat down beside Mo Li. “Based on the information gathered, Li Hui was a very cautious man. Only he and his wife have the keys to their house. Even their parents don’t have the key. Li Hui’s wife was working in the city. We contacted her when we found the body but she only arrived when we were wrapping up at the crime scene. The officers at the city just called back to confirm that the wife was at work for the past 2 days.”
Xiao Rui hooked his finger at Qin Xuan, demanding the man to hand over his large bowl of rice. After Qin Xuan did so, Xiao Rui wolfed the food down.
“Why are you here?”
“My men were dealing with the victim’s family members and crime scene. They just finished so I came here to ask about the result of your autopsy.”
They discussed the case over the meal.
“Do you think there can be multiple killers?” Qin Xuan looked at Xiao Rui and asked.
“There are two murder weapons, one is a blunt weapon and the other is a sharp blade. Based on what you surmised, the victim was injured on the head and then garrotted. It’s entirely possible for a single killer to do all that.” Xiao Rui raised his head and analyzed.
“But why would a killer bring two murder weapons to the crime scene? The second one as the spare?” Qin Xuan was confused.