These two strange events were reported to me by the squad leader, Lao Chen. Hearing his account, I immediately asked, "Are you sure Lao Wang really went to work?"
"Yes," Lao Chen nodded. "I sent someone to talk to him. He has an alibi for last night. Officer Lin, could you have been mistaken?"
"Absolutely not," I replied confidently.
Even if the Lao Wang I saw in the mountains last night was an impersonator, his voice could not deceive me. I trust my ears.
Next, I went to the hospital for a check-up. My throat was getting increasingly itchy, and I was terrified of being infected with that virus, so I hurried to get tested.
After a blood test, I was relieved to find no signs of the strange virus that infected Ge Lao, Jin Zhijian, and Zhang Yihan.
Having cleared that, I visited Zhang Yihan and Ge Lao. The doctors said that both Ge Lao and Jin Zhijian became violent upon waking, necessitating immediate sedation. Zhang Yihan was still unconscious, all three sedated while awaiting further instructions from CDC experts.
Leaving the hospital, I rushed with Lao Chen to the county annals office.
When we arrived, Lao Wang was organizing a large stack of documents. He greeted us warmly, invited us to sit, and poured us water before asking, "Young man, did you really go to Lianhua Village?"
I said nothing, staring intently at Lao Wang. Ordinary people's eyes cannot lie unless they are professionally trained spies. I hoped to find some clue in his eyes.
Unfortunately, I was disappointed.
Lao Wang met my gaze unflinchingly, his face serene. After about twenty seconds, he smiled kindly, "Did you find any clues in Lianhua Village?"
"Oh, nothing much. Just a murderer who looks exactly like you," I replied calmly, still not blinking.
Lao Wang's expression didn't change. He continued smiling, "Young man, you have a sense of humor. I haven't been back to Lianhua Village since I moved out over thirty years ago."
"You used to live in Lianhua Village?" My heart skipped a beat, feeling like I'd grasped something.
"Yes, is there a problem?" Lao Wang smiled slightly. "My family was one of the few survivors from Lianhua Village."
"What exactly happened in Lianhua Village over thirty years ago?" My tone became harsh.
"I told you that day, a terrible plague swept through, infecting everyone in the village." Lao Wang shook his head sadly, "All the villagers died!"
"You're lying!" I suddenly slammed the table, shouting, "You previously said over five hundred people died, but there were more than that in the mass grave alone." I wasn't really angry; I was trying to pressure Lao Wang to see his reaction.
"Heh..." Lao Wang smiled slightly, "Over five hundred was the official statement. The county committee leader at the time told me to write it that way. It's not my fault."
I figured as much. The mass grave's true death toll was hidden to avoid accountability. Lao Wang shifting the blame to higher-ups made sense.
"Where exactly were you last night?" I asked again.
"Hmph..." Lao Wang snorted disdainfully, "I've already answered that. Someone from the criminal police unit asked me earlier. I was at home all night. You can ask my family if you don't believe me."
"Wouldn't your family cover for you?" I growled.
"My entire residential area has surveillance, and my home has cameras too. You can check the footage. Your tech department should be able to verify its authenticity, right?" Lao Wang's tone was now quite unfriendly.
Hearing this, Lao Chen whispered to me, "I've already sent someone to check the footage. Should we wait for the results before continuing?"
"Yes," I nodded, asking Lao Wang a few more questions, which he answered flawlessly. Realizing further questioning would be futile, Lao Chen and I left the office.
Outside, I immediately instructed Lao Chen, "Captain Chen, assign two men to monitor Lao Wang 24/7. This old fox is cunning. Also, gather all the archival records of Lao Wang and Li Dapeng's families, going back three generations. Include records of the deceased, especially Li Dapeng's deceased second brother. We must find a lead!"
"Li Dapeng's second brother? I heard he died long ago. Do we really need to check the deceased too?" Lao Chen looked at me strangely.
"We often only see the surface, not the essence," I replied solemnly. "Li Dapeng's second brother supposedly died over ten years ago. Are you sure he's really dead?" I suggested boldly.
"I understand. It might be challenging to find records from three generations ago since there were no computers back then. We'll have to search the original handwritten records. I'll do my best," Lao Chen, being close friends with Captain Liu, who was killed, was very supportive of my efforts to find the real culprit.
"It's not about doing your best. We must find those records. I suspect there's a connection between Lao Wang and Li Dapeng's family. This is crucial for solving the case." The appearance of the old man and someone resembling Li Dapeng together in the mountains was no coincidence.
Lacking concrete evidence, my testimony alone couldn't incriminate Lao Wang, especially since he was a public servant. Had he been an ordinary citizen, I could have had him detained for investigation. Such actions against him would not be approved by the county leaders.
Leaving the annals office, Lao Chen and I headed to the hospital to bring Li Dapeng to the police station for interrogation.
By now, my throat was unbearably itchy—not externally, but deep within. The doctor diagnosed it as chronic pharyngitis due to cold and overexertion, recommending warm water. Drinking water as prescribed, I felt some relief.
When I entered the interrogation room with a cup of warm water, I immediately recognized that the person I saw last night wasn't Li Dapeng. This convinced me that he likely had a twin brother, probably his supposedly deceased second brother.
"Li Dapeng, what do you know?" I coldly stared at him, wishing I could beat the truth out of him.
Because of this guy, over ten civilians were dead, my colleagues were infected with that strange virus, and Liu Zhiqiang was killed in the swamp. He was the mastermind behind it all.
"Hmph..." Li Dapeng snorted disdainfully, glaring at Lao Chen and the other officers, "Get them out. I'll tell you a secret."
His smile was sinister, his attitude arrogant. Knowing he was a tough nut, I had to comply to get him talking. So, I asked Lao Chen and the others to wait outside.
Sure enough, as soon as they left and I closed the door, Li Dapeng sneered, "Officer Lin, does your throat feel itchy?"
His words sent a chill through me.
How did he know about my throat? Could he know about that strange virus?
I suddenly felt entangled in a massive conspiracy, as if someone was guiding us to Lianhua Village. Lao Wang's eerie warnings about the village seemed designed to lure us there.
What was their goal?
"Haha, Officer Lin, I heard some of you are already infected with that virus. Do you know why you haven't shown symptoms yet?"
"Why?" His words were a lifeline, making me desperate.
"Heh heh..." Li Dapeng smirked, "Agree to one condition, and I'll tell you how to control the virus."
"Screw you! Spit it out!" I lunged, grabbing his collar.
"Haha..." Li Dapeng laughed maniacally, "You're scared, you're scared, haha..."
"Bang!" I punched him hard, his head snapping to the side. When he looked back, his face still bore that sinister smile, as if his plan was succeeding.
"Speak. What is this virus? Don't think we won't find a way to control it. Modern technology is advanced; you can't threaten a nation with such a small matter!" I snarled, gripping his neck. I had no mercy for a murderous lunatic.
"Heh heh..." Li Dapeng looked at me with pity, "Have you heard of the Ebola virus?"
His words made my scalp tingle. I recalled news about the Ebola virus, which was also called the "zombie virus" because some infected patients exhibited traits of the living dead...