Chapter 182 138: Born Criminal

How does one find out the truth?

There's a saying: hearing is hearsay, but seeing is believing.

People only believe what they see with their own eyes, but the case was from six years ago...

In a case from six years ago, how old could the perpetrator be?

Let's put it this way: even if he's thirty now, he would have only been twenty-three or twenty-four six years ago.

But at that age, he couldn't have had the slightest family connection to the victim...

'Could it be an admirer?'

Qian Hua thought of the woman who had fallen into the vat of oil.

"That girl was about sixteen. If she had an admirer, he would most likely have been around the same age."

"Six years later, he'd be around twenty-two, which matches our profile of the killer."

"Could that be it!?"

The prerequisite for revenge is knowing the deceased, being familiar with them.

Officially, there were only two deaths six years ago.

The killer was either connected to the vegetable vendor or the flower girl!

If it's the latter... the only one who fits the bill would be a so-called admirer.

An admirer is a suitor.

The killer might have been secretly in love with her, or they could have been a loving couple.

But in any case, it's possible this was a crime of passion.

However...

"What is the killer?"

Xu Huo suddenly asked in return.

Qian Hua froze, stunned for a moment, then said hesitantly:

"A thief?"

"If he was killing for love, he wouldn't have spent six years learning how to be a thief. That has nothing to do with his motive," Xu Huo said, shaking his head.

If he wanted to use theft as a method to kill, that would be understandable.

But...

He really did steal money.

He's a petty thief, a crook, a bona fide pilferer!

"Unless... he was already a thief six years ago, when he was in love with her."

Xu Huo's tone suddenly shifted, not ruling out the possibility.

'A thief six years ago?'

Qian Hua's eye twitched, his expression turning serious. "You mean he had a master?"

If he was an admirer, he should be about the same age as the deceased.

Mastering the art of thievery by sixteen... how far back would he have had to start?

At least three or four years before that!

Why?

Stealing isn't simple. It takes time to train the methods, practice the skills, and become proficient.

But pushing it back another three or four years would put him at around twelve years old...

In '95, who would teach a twelve-year-old kid to steal?

Unless it was another thief.

But if there was another thief, it would have to be a parent or guardian. No one would just teach a stranger their means of livelihood for no reason.

Not even thievery!

Two thieves six years ago?

Xu Huo paused and looked at Qian Hua.

He pondered for a long moment before uttering a few words.

"Get the thief bosses over here."

Qian Hua paused, then nodded.

"Okay."

...

...

「The 4th, 10:00 PM.」

News came from Li Jianye's side.

Chen Zhe and Zhou Hu were dead...

It was no surprise to Xu Huo; the killer had indeed gotten to them.

Chen Zhe was hanged. He lived in an urban village, so his body wasn't discovered even after it started to decompose. The time of death was likely the night of December 3rd.

As for Zhou Hu, he died of thirst, having been given no water. He was tied up on November 25th and held for nearly five days, eventually succumbing on the morning of the 30th.

Just as Xu Huo had thought.

Since the killer had targeted them, there was no way he would let them go!

But at the same time...

If the killer was truly avenging the victims from six years ago by replicating their deaths, that would also mean...

...that at least three more deaths were covered up in the case six years ago!

The five members of the Zhang Family shouldn't have been convicted of accidental homicide, let alone sentenced to less than seven years and had their sentences reduced for good behavior...

The death penalty should have been the standard procedure for them!

'In other words, he knows more details than the police...'

'He was most likely a direct participant in the events of six years ago.'

'And at the same time, he harbors a deep-seated anger toward the deceased, his role shifting from participant to victim.'

At 10:00 PM.

Inside a clean shop in Linlan City.

Xu Huo sat on a chair, listening to what Li Jianye was saying and slowly making his deductions.

Right then, standing beside him were a few police officers, a few stern-faced men, as well as Li Jianye, Qian Hua, and a young man.

Where was this place?

A mobile phone shop.

"Alright, talk. Which one of you knows this person?"

Xu Huo looked up at the stern-faced men before him.

These men had a righteous air about them, with square faces, prominent brows, large eyes, and crew cuts. However...

These men were thieves.

Thieves known as "kingpins."

They were the very people Xu Huo had asked Qian Hua to find.

As for this "kingpin" title...

It's underworld slang that refers to the "head," as in the leader or boss of a group in a particular area.

"Officer, we really don't know anyone like that. My guys are all lazy good-for-nothings, they don't fit the description at all..."

one of the men said, his face scrunched up pitifully.

"Same here. I've set rules for my boys."

Another man quickly chimed in, adding a couple more points.

"Besides, we're all a bunch of old bachelors. None of us have kids."

"And the few that do have never taught their kids to steal..."

"And... six years ago? Who remembers trivial things from six years ago? You're asking too much of us..."

Thieves have bosses.

It's not just Linlan City; in Jiangsan City, Zhaozhou, and any place with people, there are kingpins.

And above the kingpins, there are head kingpins.

As for why they aren't arrested...

They are more useful left alone than arrested.

The police know who they are. If a case involves thieves, they are often summoned to cooperate with the investigation.

Back in the eighties, for the sake of local management, some police officers used this practice to maintain order in their jurisdictions.