Chapter 42 - 41: The Psychology of a Serial Killer (Part 2)

Chapter 42: Chapter 41: The Psychology of a Serial Killer (Part 2)

Xu Jing finally accompanied the Cheng brothers and sisters to the county government.

Upon arriving at the county government, a clerk immediately came up to take the Cheng brothers and sisters away. Just as Xu Jing was about to follow, she saw Chen Hu quickly walking over, enthusiastically greeting, "Miss Xu, this way, this way!"

Xu Jing paused, slightly dazed, and stopped in her tracks.

Chen Hu, with a beaming smile, walked up to her and said, "Miss Xu, Vice Minister Xiao has a command, please follow me."

That guy walked away without looking back after speaking to her, she thought he might have forgotten about her.

She arched an eyebrow and followed behind Chen Hu, asking as they walked, "Where will the others be taken? And where am I going?"

"They are all people related to the case and need to give a statement first, but you, Miss Xu, are our honored guest, so you cannot be with them."

Chen Hu led Xu Jing through several turns, finally arriving at the teahouse where Xiao Yi had taken her during the Peng Shi case.

Inside, Xiao Yi was already leisurely sitting on the long couch, holding a document in one hand while elegantly supporting a teacup with the other, head slightly lowered, sipping gently.

The previous times Xu Jing had seen Xiao Yi, he was either in a dungeon or in a courtroom, places where Xiao Yi carried an official demeanor, upright and solemn, exuding an overwhelming aura of incorruptibility, giving a look that warned strangers to stay away.

However, the Xiao Yi in the teahouse now had shed some of the disciplinarian formality of the courtroom, exuding an aura of elegance and ease, faintly revealing the refined demeanor of a noble family lord, making him more approachable than before.

Feeling someone enter, he slightly lifted his gaze, put down what he was holding, and stood up, gesturing with his hand to a nearby chair, saying, "Miss Xu, please have a seat."

Xu Jing glanced at him, then sat down, unceremoniously following his words. She removed the veil from her head, placing it to the side, and looked at Xiao Yi with a half-smile, remarking, "Did Vice Minister Xiao summon me here to interrogate me alone?"

Chen Hu, who was faithfully pouring tea for Xu Jing, suddenly slipped a hand, nearly losing grip on the teapot.

Miss Xu truly is remarkable! She can remain so composed in front of Vice Minister Xiao, even daring to joke with him!

Quite frankly, since Vice Minister Xiao took over at their county government these past days, they had been on edge daily, not daring to breathe too loudly, fearing they might draw his attention and incur his inhuman reprimands!

He had been at the Anping County government for five years, and never had he seen such orderly, upright, and solemn governance, anyone unaware would think this was some crucial agency within the imperial city!

Xiao Yi had resumed his seat on the long couch. When he heard her words, he raised an eyebrow slightly, glanced casually at Xu Jing with dark eyes, and said, "I thought I had shown ample sincerity regarding the cooperation proposed by Miss Xu. Is there still something Miss Xu is dissatisfied with?"

Xu Jing couldn’t help being a bit speechless.

Ample sincerity? Was it sincere when he walked away without looking back, and did not clarify his stance?

Was it sincere when he mocked her before leaving?

However, the man in front of her furrowed his brow slightly, looking at her as if he genuinely didn’t understand why she was so sarcastic, causing Xu Jing to silently look up at the sky.

Forget it, though this man was keenly observant, he couldn’t be expected to have the delicate thoughts typical of a woman.

Xu Jing pursed her lips, feeling somewhat indifferent, like one hand clapping, saying, "Just a joke, no need to overthink, Vice Minister Xiao. Since Vice Minister Xiao also intends to cooperate, let’s return to the main topic."

Xiao Yi, although unable to fully grasp the intricate thoughts of a woman, noted her previous tone did not seem joking.

Nonetheless, the woman in front of him was already sitting upright, not inclined to say more. After a moment’s silence, he nodded, "Alright, Miss Xu may as well tell, why do you think the murderer is deliberately setting you up?"

Xu Jing then told him about how Cheng Qingqing had her purse snatched by a child, and what that child had asked Cheng Qingqing before snatching it.

Speaking of this, her voice inevitably tightened a bit, "Doctor Cheng holds traditional beliefs and has always disliked girls being in the public eye. Thus, when Lady Cheng was young, she seldom went to Doctor Cheng’s clinic and had little exposure to medicine. It wasn’t until Lady Cheng’s brother suddenly left home that she resolved to beg Doctor Cheng to teach her medicine.

However, even when Doctor Cheng agreed to teach her medicine, he rarely allowed her to accompany him to the clinic, so even frequent patients at Xinglin Hall merely knew Doctor Cheng had a daughter, but rarely saw Lady Cheng.

After I saved a person on the street last time, I haven’t appeared in public again, nor have I gone much to Xinglin Hall. It’s quite normal for the killer to mistake Lady Cheng for me."

Xiao Yi couldn’t help but glance at her.

Not letting his daughter be in the public eye was a very common thought, apart from families barely able to meet their basic needs, who would want their daughter to be out in public?

In her mouth, it became traditional thinking.

He pondered for a moment, then said, "I roughly understand the situation. However, why would the murderer target you? Do you have any grudges with the murderer?"

Even as Xiao Yi spoke these words, he found it incredible.

That’s the culprit of a serial murder case, an identity even the authorities don’t yet know.

How could the woman before him have a grudge with him?

Xu Jing chuckled coldly, "At first, I was also bewildered, until I saw today’s victim, then I suddenly understood."

As she spoke, she looked at Xiao Yi, her voice slightly chilly, "Vice Minister Xiao, I’ve only heard about the previous two cases from people around me. They say the victim in the first case was found on the main road, and the antique merchant who found him even accidentally ran over the body with his carriage.

The second case’s victim was hung on a tree and discovered by a small merchant returning home at night. Isn’t that so?

And these are just the two cases that have happened recently. That Vice Minister Xiao would deliberately come from the Capital to Anping County to investigate indicates there have been similar cases before. It’s highly possible, isn’t it, that something similar occurred in the Western Capital too?"

Xiao Yi’s eyes flickered slightly.

Yet he wasn’t too surprised that this woman could deduce these things, looking at her, he nodded, "Indeed, similar cases have happened at least six times before."

Six times?

Xu Jing couldn’t help but feel some surprise, listening as Xiao Yi continued, "However, most of the cases occurred in Anping County, with only one happening in the Western Capital, and that case in the Western Capital happened just a month ago."

Only one occurred in the Western Capital?

Xu Jing immediately sensed the unordinary aspect of this, slightly furrowing her brow, "No, a serial killer usually has a consistent pattern, and this pattern isn’t easily broken. If the perpetrator committed the other cases in Anping County, why was that single case committed in the Western Capital? Are you sure it was by the same person and not a copycat crime?"

Xiao Yi paused, his eyes narrowing slightly, then he remarked thoughtfully, "Miss Xu seems quite knowledgeable about serial killers, as if, Miss Xu has interacted with them quite a bit."

Chen Hu to the side was already somewhat dumbfounded.

These... are these things a woman should know?

Even he only grasped these matters through years of work in the government office!

But Miss Xu can even conduct autopsies, so her understanding of serial killers doesn’t seem to be too surprising!