Why does that last sentence feel ominous…? T_T
Chapter 60.2: Team Leader, what kind of person are you looking for? You know so clearly already.
Not long after Ji Bai had left and the criminal investigators had just concluded their investigations at the scene, the news came: the Chief of the provincial criminal investigation department would personally oversee the case, with Ji Bai as his deputy.
It was already dark when the provincial team leader arrived with his men. Several vehicles of police officers had also been transferred in from other areas. The team leader relayed the orders of the main office: the entire force was to spare no effort. They had to locate the killer, even if that meant they had to overturn the entire mountain region.
At night, Xu Xu, Lao Wu and the others ate hurriedly, then donned bulletproof vests, batons etc. Xu Xu looked at the thick bulletproof vest – tracking a criminal in the mountain wilderness would require great exertion over a long period of time. After a moment's thought, she did not put it on. Instead, she went to the provincial team leader's command car to look for him.She had just reached the car when she saw the team leader speaking into his handphone: "Why didn't you tell me earlier that your wife is pregnant? I thought it was something urgent, since you called me in such a burning hurry. Sure, I understand. I'll let her stay at the back, to take care of the logistics . . ."
Xu Xu was slightly shaken, and a sense of warmth rose within her. She turned and walked back.
When Xu Xu saw Ji Bai again, it was already the next night.
That day, the situation on the mountain had calmed down somewhat. The students had all been advised to leave; the media outlets were also under control, with only ten newspapers and magazines permitted access to the mountain region, and only to specially designated areas. The provincial office hoped that they could do some objective and positive reporting to appease the public sentiment.
Moreover, a police force in the hundreds was currently scattered throughout the mountain region, tirelessly searching for the killer. However, the region stretched for thousands of square metres, and without sufficient time, there was no way to conduct a thorough search. Not surprisingly, there was no progress.
It was late at night, and Lao Wu and the others were all out. Xu Xu was staying at a row of farmhouses at the foot of the mountain which had been temporarily requisitioned by the police to house the police logistical staff and the media personnel. In the drowsiness of sleep, she heard Ji Bai talking on his handphone outside the building: ". . . yes, I've just arrived at the foot of the mountain. Ok, then I will wait for your car."
Xu Xu immediately sat up, and saw Ji Bai pushing open the door to walk in. The moonlight shone on the sharp planes of his face. He looked exhausted, but his eyes were sharp and alert.
"I'm going to rest here for a while, and I’ll go immediately." His voice was a bit subdued.
Xu Xu got off the bed to get him a glass of water. Ji Bai pulled her into his arms, and drank the water in one gulp. He whispered, "Have you been all right these past 2 days?"
"I'm ok. How about you?"
"What could be wrong with me?" He smiled slightly.
They were silent for a while. Xu Xu said: "These two days, I've been thinking continuously about this killer, but I cannot figure him out."
The past two days, Ji Bai had been on the road non-stop, and also had to stop by the provincial office to give reports. Thus, he'd had no time to think carefully about the case. When he heard her speak, he simply nodded: "We still have some time. Let's do a good analysis. Where are the paper and pen?"
Xu Xu immediately dug them out from under her pillow, as well as several photographs of the murder cases. Ji Bai thought of the child in her belly, and could only laugh wryly, and caressed her head.
Xu Xu set down all the previously discussed screening conditions for the killer as Ji Bai watched with rapt attention. After pondering for a moment, he looked up at her: "How does that saying go? When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth [2]."
[2] The quote is from the Sign of the Four~ Sherlock Holmes!
Xu Xu nodded.
Ji Bai: "Thus, as you've said before, the probability is extremely small that there are two people who fit the profile at the same time. However, the facts of the case are such. The second person must exist. When we catch him, the queries surrounding Lin Qingyan, the truth of the case, will be easily solved (迎刃而解 – literally, (bamboo) splits when it meets the knife's edge).
He took the pen from her and checked the conditions one by one: "I have always thought that the screening conditions you previously suggested were correct. Look, the results of some screening conditions are easily obtained, while others are not so easily discerned. For example, it is easy to come up with a list of people 'who have recently been diagnosed with a serious illness', but there is no way to screen out 'people who have recently suffered a major setback or frustration in an undertaking'. Thus, this person must have fallen through the cracks here."
Xu Xu shook with sudden revelation, as her brain shifted into high gear. She didn't wait for him to finish putting his thoughts on paper, but blurted out: "Therefore, this person has recently suffered a major setback or frustration in an undertaking. In the year the 'Angel Killer' was active, he would have been a university student active in the forums; we don't have any records of him entering or leaving the forest region in the past few months because he lives in the forest region, and thus he's extremely familiar with it! Also, as you said yesterday, he has a house in the forest region!"
When she finished speaking, Ji Bai had also finished sketching his thoughts on the paper. Both looked down at the paper, it was exactly the same as what she had just voiced!
They glanced at each other, their growing excitement evident in their eyes. Ji Bai got up to make a call, "This is Ji Bai. Start this search straightaway: working and living in the mountain region, 22 to 26 years old, University graduate, recently demoted or suffered punishment, male, shoe size 42, has access to a vehicle for work and a private house, may be a forest ranger, teacher in the mountain region, firefighter, patrol officer or another kind of public service officer . . ."
On the other end of the line, the police officer in charge of Information Technology at the station sounded a little dubious, "Team Leader, what kind of person are you looking for? You know so clearly already. . ."
Ji Bai, "Give me the answer as quickly as possible."
He hung up, and said solemnly, "I'm going."
Xu Xu, "Take care of yourself."
He glanced briefly at the surroundings outside the door. This was a small farming community, at midnight, all was quiet and pitch black. He turned his head to look at Xu Xu: "Right now, the killer's identity is unknown. There are police patrols in this area, so it's relatively safer. Try your best to stay indoors, don't move around carelessly."
Xu Xu nodded.
Translator : Shl
Proofreader: Libramuse