Chapter 80 - 79: A Special ’Dog Meat’ Shop

The suspect... opened a shop...

Yes, it was that simple. They had a shop, which was why every police officer fell silent.

If this had been an ordinary murder case, no one would have said a word.

But... based on the police’s speculation, the killer’s motive might not have been just money.

They also ate the meat...

"Go over the file,"

Wang Hu closed his eyes. He felt that at this stage, the details of the case could no longer be made public.

The moment this case got out, the entirety of Linlan City would likely be plunged into panic. At the same time, its public image would suffer irreversible damage.

This wasn’t an exaggeration.

In a Northern Province, a sensational case involving a cannibalistic maniac had directly led to outsiders, and even locals, developing a stereotype about the place.

It had persisted for over twenty years, the story still widely circulating when Xu Huo transmigrated in his past life, directly resulting in very few outsiders daring to go there.

This time... would it be Linlan City?

"Wang Jinyuan, thirty-seven years old, sold used watches to pawn shops multiple times. At one of the shops we checked, he sold seven watches of different models."

"There are two reasons we’ve identified him as a suspect."

"First, he’s from Zhang Family Town, unemployed, and the times he sold the watches were extremely close to the times of death of the victims. Not just once, but multiple times!"

"Second, according to the leaders of several local pickpocket gangs, he wasn’t one of their crew. The source of his watches is unknown, and he sold them off multiple times instead of all at once in a large batch."

Pickpockets have their own territories. These types are regulars at the station, so the beat cops are familiar with them.

Besides, pickpockets don’t usually sell just one item. They steal more than they can count on one hand in a single day. How could they sell so little, and only once in a long while?

If a pickpocket were that lazy, even other thieves would look down on him.

There are no watch shops in Zhang Family Town, and Wang Jinyuan couldn’t afford to buy them, so...

"He’s highly suspicious!"

Li Jianye said in a low voice. This was the information he’d dug up after a long investigation, finally finding the person who best fit the killer’s profile.

"Wang Jinyuan’s parents are both deceased. He has a thirty-seven-year-old twin brother at home, but the brother is paralyzed and bedridden. The two are very close; he never showed any resentment toward his brother."

"In fact, Wang Jinyuan even tried to arrange marriages for his brother, Wang Jinbao. But due to their financial situation and circumstances, every attempt at matchmaking ended in failure."

"And this type of person..."

The room fell silent. They understood what Li Jianye was implying without him having to say it.

What did this mean?

On its own, the clue about their family situation and the matchmaking attempts didn’t seem particularly valuable.

But, when combined with...

The female accomplice?

She had suddenly appeared in Zhang Family Town two or three years ago, with no household registration and no records. She had tried to escape before.

Combining this clue with the information on Wang Jinyuan revealed...

A piece of information every officer in the room knew.

Which was...

"Human trafficking!"

Li Jianye was extremely serious. He tapped a finger heavily on the table.

"Right now, based on Advisor Xu’s deductive logic and the information we’ve gathered, we can assemble a complete framework..."

"That is, two or three years ago, the suspect Wang Jinyuan bought a wife for his brother. Then, over the next few years, either by collusion or coercion, he forced the woman to commit crimes with him. They used her to lure men soliciting prostitutes, and then, when their guard was completely down..."

"They killed them with a single blow!"

"And because Zhang Family Town was so desolate, and the dry well was remote and unused, no one ever went there. They stayed until the demolition, then left."

When are people at their most vulnerable?

When defecating, or when in heat.

The former is a psychological vulnerability in modern society. The latter is a weakness common to all animals in nature.

To ensure survival while mating, some creatures evolved to be extremely quick.

Take the giant panda, for instance. The act takes only a few seconds, so the period of danger is just as brief.

But humans are different. Humans have desires. Once lost in the throes of passion, even a blaring horn in your ear would be useless—you wouldn’t hear a thing, let alone the slice of a knife.

"It could have been before the act, or after. But in any case, the target ended up dead."

Li Jianye scribbled on the whiteboard, filling in the details within the framework of Xu Huo’s reasoning.

"And the case was only just discovered!"

Hearing this, a heavy weight settled in everyone’s hearts.

"Where’s his address?"

Xu Huo looked up at Li Jianye.

"After moving out of Zhang Family Town, he took the money and went to Furong Street."

"And his shop is..."

"A dog meat shop."

Li Jianye’s tone grew heavy.

"Business is..."

"Booming!"

Booming business...

A shadow fell over everyone’s hearts, like a thick layer of smog blotting out the sun, leaving them in darkness.

After a long moment, Wang Hu let out a deep breath, his gaze turning resolute once more.

"Make the arrest!"

...

...

Furong Street was a thoroughfare in Linlan City, located on the outskirts of a commercial district. It was usually bustling with people, with a high volume of foot traffic.

It was near the docks, so passengers disembarking from ships could quickly come here to enjoy the local delicacies.

According to the case file, after receiving his demolition compensation money, the suspect Wang Jinyuan came to Furong Street and opened a shop. Many people came to sample his food, and its flavor was hailed as a local specialty!

Countless locals flocked here to taste the food, and his income was very high.

However...

He never opened a second branch.

According to him, the reason was a limited supply of dog meat, as he couldn’t find many legal dog farms.

The reason was plausible. Without a reliable source of meat, opening another branch would just be asking to lose money.

So, when he gave this reason, many people came to admire the owner.

Why?

Because the vast majority of dog meat restaurants sourced their meat illegally.

The ones with a shred of conscience would catch stray dogs off the street. The ones without a conscience—the kind of scum who would sell out their own parents for money—would go straight for people’s pets.

In the countryside, for instance, some dogs are tied up by the door to guard the house. Dog snatchers would drive around late at night, and the moment they saw a dog, they’d hit it with a tranquilizer dart and carry it off.

Afterward, these dogs were almost guaranteed to end up on a dinner table. Once captured, there was no chance of survival.

"Jinyuanbao Dog Meat Shop..."

Five in the morning.

The sky was just beginning to lighten, yet countless dark figures of police officers stood before the dog meat shop. Xu Huo looked up, silently staring at the sign above.

It was a farmhouse-style courtyard, fully equipped with a parking area and a dining space.

The courtyard wasn’t large. Right now, countless officers were weaving through the space, taking up positions.

Xu Huo lowered his gaze, his nose twitching slightly.

A chaotic mix of smells filled his nostrils and lungs.

’There must be at least eighty people in there, if not a hundred,’ he thought.

Furthermore, a foul stench wafted from the backyard, a repulsive odor. It was the smell of dogs. ’The conditions for the meat dogs must be terrible,’ he mused.

"Team One, with me!"

In the darkness, Li Jianye and his men pressed against the wall. After confirming there were no surprises, he gave a hand signal, and several dark figures joined him at the door.

Li Jianye held up three fingers.

A moment later...

"Breach!"

The command was given, and several officers kicked out in unison.

"BANG! BANG! BANG!"

The sound of splintering wood echoed as the simple farmhouse door was kicked open, leaving the main entrance wide.

A flood of police officers poured in, their dark forms seeming to merge with the night.

"Fan out!"

"Team Three, take your men and secure the interior! Make sure no one gets out!"

Wang Hu spoke into his walkie-talkie in a low voice.

"Team Two, clear the backyard! Arrest the suspect, Wang Jinyuan!"

The heavy thud of boots echoed through the courtyard.

"CLICK!"

The crisp sound of a slide racking echoed as Qian Hua, gripping his gun with both hands, warily scanned the surroundings.

A moment later...

"Report, no sign of Wang Jinyuan!"

"Chief, Team Two can’t find Wang Jinyuan either."

"Same for Team Three..."

"Team Four on perimeter, no one has escaped."

A series of reports came over the walkie-talkies, causing everyone to frown instinctively.

Wang Jinyuan wasn’t here?

’He’s not even here during a surprise raid!?’

’Did he get tipped off and run?’

"What’s going on?"

Xu Huo’s brow furrowed.

’I’m sure no one would have tipped him off about a raid like this,’ he thought. ’First off, given the severity of the case, anyone who dared to leak information would be treated as an accomplice and tried alongside the killer!’

’And in a case like this, the killer... would surely get the death penalty!’

’So where did he go?’

’Or did he notice the police outside and slip away just minutes before we moved in?’

With this in mind, Xu Huo strode quickly toward the backyard.

The backyard was where Wang Jinyuan lived, his so-called home.

It was similar to a detached rural house, but larger, and...

Filthier!

"WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF!!!!"

"GRRR... HSSS... WOOF WOOF WOOF!"

"GRR..."

The moment he entered, a suffocating stench assaulted him. Xu Huo frowned and turned his head.

It was the stench of dogs. All around the yard, he could see dark shapes in countless iron cages. The silhouettes inside eyed the police with hostility, barking incessantly.

Fangs were bared, and fierce eyes stared intently at the officers.

"Heh, just a bunch of strays. Not quite what Wang Jinyuan claimed, is it?"

A sneer appeared on Li Jianye’s face.

The densely packed cages were full of dogs. In the darkness, pairs of glowing green eyes emerged, like will-o’-the-wisps floating in the air, accompanied by low growls.

It was filthy, smelly, and chaotic!

Xu Huo scanned the area for a moment, then abruptly changed the subject. "What about Zhang Cui!?"

"Where is Zhang Cui!?"

"She’s not here."

Li Jianye replied in a low voice.

"No sign of her. We only found the brother, Wang Jinbao. No trace of Wang Jinyuan."

"Zhang Cui is missing too. Not a single trace of her!"

Zhang Cui was the woman Wang Jinyuan had been keeping under watch near the train station.

She left with them when they moved from Zhang Family Town. If she wasn’t dead, she would surely still be with the killer.

Of course, assuming he really did flee, he might not have taken Zhang Cui with him.

In his eyes, she was clearly just a tool—a tool used to lure people in.

What feelings could you have for a tool?

When you work for your boss, does he weep with gratitude?

Sure, he might tell you that you’re all family, that the company is your home. But if you believe that, all I can say is... you should get checked for a disability. You might even qualify for an intellectual disability and get some extra welfare benefits each month.

And as for Zhang Cui, she was clearly a disposable tool.

It’s highly likely she was already dead...

No, that’s not right.

Suddenly, Xu Huo’s expression changed. He sniffed the air.

The air was thick with the foul stench of dogs, but within that suffocating odor...

...was a trace...

Of a person.

Xu Huo paused. The next second, he whipped his head around in astonishment, staring at...

The dog cages.