"Sure, he's like a zombie, even bites people. My husband and I took him to see a doctor in the county. The doctor said there was nothing wrong with him, just playing around."
"Oh."
Suddenly, Zhang Guilan became anxious and asked, "Officer, you're not suspecting my son of being a murderer, are you? He's still so young, he couldn't possibly be a killer. He's just a bit mischievous."
Du Zhixun almost laughed.
This village woman had quite the imagination. If her son was the zombie killer, that would be the most shocking truth. A seven or eight-year-old boy couldn't possibly kill six adults, let alone imprison them first, then cook their organs. Such a young child wouldn't even know how to cook.
Undoubtedly, the murderer had to be an able-bodied adult.
Du Zhixun also wanted to learn more about Cai Fengqin, to see if her family being attacked was a random act or due to some grudge, so he asked, "How's your relationship with Cai Fengqin? Do you visit each other often?"
Zhang Guilan's expression suddenly changed, "I... don't really associate with her, I don't know her well."
She obviously wasn't good at lying. Du Zhixun noticed her panic and wondered if she was hiding something.
He observed Zhang Guilan closely. Becoming increasingly nervous under his gaze, she suddenly exclaimed, "Oh, my husband is here. Officer, I have to rush home to cook."
Du Zhixun looked over and indeed saw a man in his forties entering the yard.
Upon seeing the man, Du Zhixun was taken aback.
This man has a very prominent feature.
There's a huge scar that runs from just below his left eyebrow to the right corner of his mouth, almost splitting his face in two.
Looks quite menacing.
A flash crossed Du Zhixun's mind——
The clear echo of the conversation between Yan Guo and Ding Qian during hypnosis lingered in his ears.
"At dinner, a scary-looking man showed up..."
"How scary?"
"His face... his face..."
"What's wrong with his face?"
"Very scary... He was arguing loudly with the teacher... I don't know why..."
Du Zhixun waved to the man, putting on a very friendly smile. If you weren't paying attention, you wouldn't notice the cunningness hidden in his smile.
The scar-faced man stood at the gate of the courtyard, looking into the yard with a cold gaze.
Seeing a handsome man staring at his wife, he felt uncomfortable. People with visible disabilities are always particularly sensitive. He was hesitating whether to approach, but then he saw the man waving at him, looking quite soft.
With a clear understanding in his mind, the scar-faced man immediately shifted his attention, and with a fierce look on his face, he rushed up to Du Zhixun, shouting angrily, "What are you doing to my wife?"
"I didn't do anything, sir. You've got it all wrong," Du Zhixun explained calmly.
"Bullshit! You've been staring at my wife like you've got some dirty ideas. Don't think I don't know what you're up to! And now you're trying to deny it?!" The guy with the scar grabbed Du Zhixun's collar, swinging his fist. This wimp wouldn't dare to fight back.
But this scared Zhang Guilan, who quickly intervened, "Lao An, you can't hit him. He's a policeman."
"I don't care who he is! I'm going to hit this cop..." The scar-faced man's fist suddenly stopped mid-air, not daring to strike down, and he asked with a mix of anger and fear, "What's so great about being a cop? Can cops just flirt with my wife? Are you... are you really a cop?"
"What's your name?" Du Zhixun asked the scar-faced man.
"An Qiang."
"Do you know Cai Fengqin?"
"I..."
An Qiang hesitated for a moment, but before he could speak, his wife, Zhang Guilan, jumped in, "My husband doesn't know Cai Fengqin. They've never had any contact."
"Is that so?" Du Zhixun sized up An Qiang, who had dropped his earlier aggression and now wore a flattering smile. Such a person who bullies the weak and fears the strong is disgusting to look at.
"Your families aren't too far apart, you couldn't have never interacted. Haven't you at least spoken when you've met?" Du Zhixun inquired.
"That old woman is too difficult to deal with, always making a fuss about nothing. Who wants to bother with her!" An Qiang sniffed disdainfully.
"I didn't do anything, sir. I think you've got the wrong idea," Du Zhixun explained calmly.
"Nonsense! You've been leering at my wife with those creepy eyes of yours. Don't think I don't know what you're up to! You want to deny it?!" The scar-faced man grabbed Du Zhixun's collar and brandished his fist. He was certain this softie wouldn't dare fight back.
But Zhang Guilan was horrified and quickly intervened. "Lao An, you can't hit him! He's a policeman."
"I don't care who he is! Just because he's a cop, he thinks he can flirt with my wife? Are you...are you really a cop?" The scar-faced man's fist suddenly froze in mid-air, hesitating. His aggressive demeanor softened as he asked, "What makes you think you're so special just because you're a cop? The nerve of you, flirting with my wife..."
"What's your name?" Du Zhixun asked the scar-faced man.
"An Qiang."
"Do you know Cai Fengqin?"
"I..." An Qiang hesitated for a moment, but before he could respond, his wife Zhang Guilan interjected, "My husband doesn't know Cai Fengqin. They've never had any interaction."
"Is that so?" Du Zhixun scrutinized An Qiang. The belligerence from before had vanished, replaced by a servile smile. This kind of cowardly person made him sick.
"Your families aren't that far apart. You must have interacted at some point, right? Surely, you've spoken when you've crossed paths?"
"That old woman is so overdramatic, always making a fuss about nothing. Who would want to talk to her?" An Qiang sneered disdainfully.
Du Zhixun remained calm and composed, raising his hand to block An Qiang's punch while delivering a powerful blow to An Qiang's chin, effortlessly knocking his 160-pound body to the ground.
An Qiang, a tough thug not to be underestimated, had met his match today. Du Zhixun was skilled in mixed martial arts, having competed professionally. Dealing with thugs like An Qiang was a walk in the park for him.
An hour after the Special Case Unit arrived at the scene, the Criminal Investigation Division of Pingjiang City swiftly responded to the news and rushed to the scene. Under Liu Fei's direction, the forensic team conducted a thorough search, with the most significant discovery being five footprints found at the crime scene.
In the interrogation room of the Criminal Investigation Division of Pingjiang City:
"We suspect that you broke into Cai Fengqin's house and murdered the six people gathered there. Why did you do it?" Du Zhixun demanded sternly, glaring at An Qiang.
By now, An Qiang had been handcuffed and sat in the chair with a sense of resentment.
"I didn't kill anyone. You cops can't just falsely accuse people without evidence!" An Qiang retorted defiantly, glaring back at Du Zhixun, showing a stance of defiance.