The order had just come down from above. Because the serial headbanging case had already caused widespread public terror, the Commander’s office had issued a deadline for the case to be solved — there was no time to lose.

The Military Police Department’s meeting took place in an open area cleared out within the main hall, furnished simply with a long table, a few chairs, and a blackboard.

When Bai Jin and Shi Cheng returned, they brought no useful leads with them.

They had visited every household and shop near all three crime scenes, but no one had seen the perpetrator.

As Shi Ting pushed Yan Qing’s wheelchair over, Han Xiling, who had been processing documents, heard someone say “Miss Yan” and immediately looked up.

She had assumed that anyone serving as a forensic consultant would be rather advanced in age. It never occurred to her that this Miss Yan would look even younger than herself — and, more strikingly, that she was beautiful, the kind of beauty that stopped people in their tracks.

Even so, her gaze quickly fell on the wheelchair. A thin blanket lay across Yan Qing’s legs, and Shi Ting stood behind her, pushing.

“Why is Miss Yan in a wheelchair?” Han Xiling asked the police officer beside her.

“Miss Yan has had paralyzed legs since childhood. She travels by wheelchair.”

So she’s disabled, Han Xiling thought, and felt a sudden, strange sense of relief wash over her.

Seeing that a meeting was about to begin on the other side of the room, she picked up a folder, rose from her seat, and walked over.

Zheng Yun said, “Miss Han, this is a case briefing.”

“I know — it’s about the headbanging cases, isn’t it?” Han Xiling showed no intention of excusing herself. “Since I’m here to gain practical experience, I’ll need to be involved in matters like this sooner or later. Surely there’s no reason to bar me from even sitting in?”

Zheng Yun glanced at Shi Ting, who had already pushed Yan Qing to the table. He said simply, “Then take notes.”

Han Xiling quickly pulled up a chair and picked up a pen and paper.

The Military Police Department was staffed entirely by men, and the sudden addition of a woman naturally piqued Yan Qing’s curiosity — but with a murder case before them, she set her curiosity aside.

“Let’s go over all the leads we have.” Shi Ting looked across the table. “Bai Jin, walk us through the crime scene reconstruction.”

Bai Jin stood. “I’ll begin by summarizing the similarities across all three crime scenes. First, timing: all three incidents occurred at around midnight, when the streets were deserted and the surrounding residents and shopkeepers had already gone to sleep. Second, the victims’ movements: all three victims were walking alone late at night with no companions — they may have been followed by the perpetrator for some time before being killed. Third, physical evidence at the scenes: this is what led to the cases being linked. We found cigarette butts of the same brand at all three locations. Fourth, the method of killing: all three victims died from blunt force trauma to the back of the head. After death, there were signs of molestation, and all three scenes showed drag marks — after killing the victims, the perpetrator dragged the bodies some distance away.”

Everyone was busily taking notes.

“I’ll now share the forensic findings.” E’Yuan stood. “First, we believe the murder weapon was a metal blunt instrument approximately seven centimeters long and two centimeters wide — easily swung, with a hook at one end. Second, the perpetrator is between 171 and 173 centimeters tall and of exceptional physical strength. Third, based on the wounds on the chests of all three victims, the perpetrator may be suffering from a psychiatric disorder. This kind of aberrant behavior is typically only carried out by individuals with mental illness — this conclusion was just reached by my mentor.”

Yan Qing had only arrived at the cause of those wounds after sleeping on it. If the perpetrator had not been acting out of revenge, there was only one other explanation: the perpetrator was mentally ill.

Yan Qing added, “The disordered thinking of a mentally ill person may drive them to perform incomprehensible acts on a victim’s body after killing them — as in this case, where a sharp, hooked instrument was used to puncture the victims’ chests dozens of times. Because this behavior occurs spontaneously after the killing rather than being premeditated, the perpetrator would not have brought two separate weapons to the scene. For this reason, I believe there is only one murder weapon.”

Han Xiling found herself looking toward Yan Qing. She had assumed this so-called forensic consultant was merely decorative — she hadn’t expected her words to be so striking. The others in the room responded with murmurs of praise.

What bothered Han Xiling most was the look on Shi Ting’s face when he turned to Yan Qing — a rare softness in his eyes. It unsettled her deeply.

“Dr. E, please continue.”

E’Yuan nodded and said, “Finally, all three victims showed signs of molestation but were not sexually assaulted. It is therefore likely that the perpetrator suffers from sexual dysfunction.”

Having heard summaries from both sides, Shi Ting rose and walked to the small blackboard.

“First, let me raise several points of uncertainty in this case. Point one: after killing the victims, the perpetrator molested them — their tops were pulled up and their trousers pulled down to their ankles. The bodies were then dragged from the middle of the road to the area near the refuse bins and left there. The drag marks on the victims’ clothing confirm the sequence of events. The question is: if the perpetrator intended to molest the victims, why do so in the middle of the road? Was he not afraid of being spotted by a passerby? Why not drag the bodies to the refuse bins first and then carry out the molestation?”

Yan Qing said, “Perpetrators with mental illness often act without any discernible pattern.”

Shi Ting nodded. “Now for the second point. The murder weapon has a hammer on one end and a hook on the other. Can anyone identify what object this might be?”

The room exchanged uncertain glances; no one could immediately place it.

“Something custom-made, perhaps,” Zheng Yun offered. “Items not commonly sold on the market are generally purpose-built. The perpetrator may work in a specialized trade that requires such a tool.”

Shi Ting said, “That’s a reasonable line of thinking. The perpetrator’s occupation may well be an uncommon one.”

He turned and drew a diagram on the blackboard, then fixed photographs of the three victims beside it. “Though the perpetrator moves like a ghost, he is not without a trail to follow. If we connect the three crime scenes, they form an irregular triangle, with the three sides running along Changsheng Street, Wuchang Street, and Cuiyun Street. Using the map and this formation, we can roughly establish the perpetrator’s area of movement — within or just outside the two streets bordering each side of this triangle.”

Criminal geography was a relatively recent field of study, developed primarily in response to serial crimes. By working backward from the crime or body-disposal sites, investigators could estimate the likely location of the perpetrator. Simple as it appeared, it required a specific set of calculations to arrive at probability assessments.

Yan Qing had not expected Shi Ting to be applying criminal geography in this era. It was by no means a precise science, but that did nothing to diminish her admiration for him.

Shi Ting continued. “The perpetrator left cigarette butts of the same brand at each scene. This brand — Hongmei — is sold at convenience stores throughout the city and is the lowest-grade cigarette on the market. This tells us the perpetrator is not well-off. We can therefore rule out six residential complexes within or adjacent to the triangle: Xiang’san Residential Area, Xinggong Residential Area…” He paused. “Our next investigative priority is to canvass the area around this triangle and identify adult males between 171 and 173 centimeters tall with a history of psychiatric illness and who work in a specialized trade. The scope of the search will be significant, but we must apprehend this individual within two days.”

“Yes, sir.” The room rose as one, voices ringing out in unison.

Han Xiling jumped to her feet as well, and found herself gazing at Shi Ting with undisguised admiration.

Zheng Yun said, “The first case was on May 28th, the second on June 1st, and the third on June 6th. There’s no regular pattern, but the intervals are short. I’m concerned the perpetrator may strike again in the next few days.”

“If he strikes again, we catch him in the act,” Bai Jin said, his frustration evident.

“We’ll increase night patrols to protect residents as much as possible. As for the press — I’ll speak with them myself.” Sensational coverage would only cause more panic, and that served no one.

After the room dispersed, Shi Ting noticed Han Xiling had not left.

“Is there something else, Miss Han?”

“Does the Director feel confident about solving this case? Shun Cheng has a large population — drawing a triangle on a map doesn’t guarantee the perpetrator will be found. And what if the Director’s deductions are wrong? What if the perpetrator chose his crime sites at random and doesn’t live anywhere near them?”

Faced with Han Xiling’s barrage of questions, Shi Ting replied, “Deduction is never a hundred percent certain. But even a one-percent chance is worth pursuing to the fullest.”

He glanced at the paper in her hand — nearly blank, with only a few words jotted down. “Miss Han, your role here is not to investigate the case. Your role is to keep records. Is this the meeting transcript you intend to submit?”

Han Xiling bristled. “I didn’t come here to be a secretary.”

“There is a very simple principle Miss Han ought to understand: before you can run, you must first learn to walk. I expect to receive the meeting minutes from just now before the end of the workday.” Having said his piece, Shi Ting gave Han Xiling no further attention and pushed Yan Qing toward the exit.

“Weren’t you a little hard on Miss Han?” Yan Qing said lightly once they were outside. “She is, after all, a young woman.”

“Why do you ask me that?”

“I’m not asking for any particular reason — your attitude toward others isn’t something I have any say in.”

Shi Ting said, “I’m consistent in this regard. In professional matters, I make no distinction between men and women.”

Yan Qing smiled. “But doesn’t the Military Police Department have a policy against admitting female officers?”

“She came with the Commander’s personal recommendation. There was nothing to be done about it.” Shi Ting had no wish to continue the subject. “I’ll take you home. I’ll notify you as soon as there are any developments.”

Yan Qing nodded. “That’s fine.”

As she was being helped into the car, she glanced back instinctively at the Military Police Department. Through the main gate, she could see the woman called Han Xiling watching them leave. The distance was too great to make out her expression, but it did not feel like goodwill.

Han Xiling tightened her grip on the two pages of notes, indignation burning inside her.

She had worked hard during her years abroad, and it had not been to come back and be a secretary. If Shi Ting thought she lacked the ability, she would solve this case entirely on her own. When she did, not only Shi Ting but every last person in the Military Police Department — including that so-called forensic consultant — would have to look at her with new eyes.

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