Chapter 27: Profiling Once More

Qin Jiang’s home looked as if it hadn’t been cleaned in a very long time. It lacked any sense of vitality, appearing cold and desolate, with traces of human habitation found only in the corners.

Ye Sangsang walked in and scanned the surroundings. It was a two-bedroom apartment. At a glance, she could see the bathroom, where a towel, toothpaste, and toothbrush were neatly placed. They looked like they had been used for years; the towel was even tattered with holes.

The coffee table in the living room was dusty, but there were very few items. The sofa was a warm ginger yellow, covered with books on crime and investigation, and even some novels. She picked up a cup, noting a thick layer of dust settled at the bottom.

On the natural wood entryway cabinet, there was a yellow toy excavator that a boy might play with, as if it had just been set down after a play session. There was also a red scarf on the sofa, a woman’s coat hanging on the rack by the door, and beautiful Chinese roses on the balcony. If not for the dust, one might easily be lulled into the illusion that a warm family of three still lived there.

She walked into the bedroom. Aside from the small area where Qin Jiang lived, the rest of the room, like the exterior, had been preserved in its state from long ago. Ye Sangsang did not move anything; she closed the door and left.

It was already night when she returned to the squad. After some contemplation, she chose to conduct a second behavioral analysis and profile of Qin Jiang. Gu Ling and Zheng He were lost and bewildered, forced to follow the procedural steps of the case—if they could just find the motive for Qin Jiang’s killings, the case would be closed. Why Lin Xue had died was a mystery that baffled not only Ye Sangsang but them as well. They felt trapped in a web, struggling desperately but finding no way out.

Under these circumstances, they could only wait for the victims' identities to be confirmed. There were five sets of missing persons DNA samples awaiting comparison, with a two-day turnaround for the fastest results. This was an expedited process; the case had significant public impact, and the lack of results could incite widespread panic. Everyone was waiting for that result, for that motive.

Ye Sangsang, however, had already formed her own behavioral profile. She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, Lin Xue was before her.

He sat there, conversing with someone, saying, "I know where Zhao Tianman is. Why is Brother Qin looking for him?"

According to the files, Lin Xue was a mild-tempered person, so he would slowly pour tea and take a few sips before speaking. Qin Jiang was urgent; his obsession was to guide those people back onto the right path. He was enraged by those who repeated their crimes, furious that criminals did not turn over a new leaf after being released. Zhao Tianman, a man with a gloomy and eccentric personality who was likely to target young girls again, had entered his sights. He wanted to find him. But he didn’t want Zhao Tianman to know he was being hunted, so he chose to find "Shamate" (the punk) to track down Zhao Tianman's current residence. The punk didn't know, but he knew Lin Xue had met Zhao Tianman in prison and stayed in touch, so he went to him.

Lin Xue’s question made Qin Jiang run his hands through his hair. "I have some things to ask him. Just give me the address." He had rushed over anxiously, his mouth dry, and he picked up a cup to drain it in one gulp.

"Why don't I go with you?" Lin Xue suggested thoughtfully.

Qin Jiang refused. "No need, I'll go myself. Just tell me the address." He lit a cigarette in frustration—his second since entering the room—because a fire was burning and churning within him. Lin Xue, feeling helpless, finally gave him the address. Qin Jiang didn't even finish the cigarette; he threw it on the ground, stepped on it, and left.

Lin Xue saw him off. He was a cleanly person, so after closing the door, he prepared to tidy up. But before he could start, there was another knock on the iron door. Lin Xue looked around, thinking Qin Jiang had forgotten something. He scanned the room, but none of Qin Jiang’s belongings were there. Perhaps there was more to ask. He walked to the door and opened it.

The moment the door opened, a flash of confusion crossed Lin Xue’s eyes. He saw the ferocious expression of the person standing there and instinctively took two steps back. But in the next second, a massive spray of blood erupted from his neck. It splattered against the wall like a blooming plum tree. The attacker turned and left; Lin Xue fell forward, pulling the door shut. His vocal cords had been severed along with his throat, preventing any sound. He stared with wide eyes, feeling his life ebb away. Three minutes later, blood began to seep from the gap under the iron door.

Qin Jiang arrived at Zhao Tianman’s home. This was the target he intended to approach to help find a job, even though from a layman's perspective, this man was not worth saving. But he still wanted to try—if he could save him, perhaps he could prevent the next victim and preserve a perfect family. Thinking this, he found the scrap yard and entered Zhao Tianman’s home.

Zhao Tianman knew Qin Jiang. In the month since his release, former prison acquaintances had often spoken of him. Their meeting was initially gentle, with Qin Jiang asking about his life over the past month. Aside from his former cellmates, Zhao Tianman had encountered many scornful and disdainful looks, and Qin Jiang’s gentle demeanor softened his hostility. They sat on the sofa chatting, and Qin Jiang brought up the recent dismemberment cases. Having been worn down in prison, Zhao Tianman immediately retorted. Their argument grew heated until Zhao Tianman told Qin Jiang to get out.

Just then, a sound came from the east room. They were both stunned. Zhao Tianman entered the room first, and perhaps seeing something, a struggle ensued. As a police officer, Qin Jiang grabbed his weapon and rushed in. The intruder held a knife, ready to kill Zhao Tianman in the next second. The three fell into a standoff. The man wore a mask covering his entire face and held Zhao Tianman as a shield. As the intruder prepared to escape, Qin Jiang instinctively fired, but Zhao Tianman stepped forward to block him. The masked man looked at the stunned Qin Jiang, lunged forward, and shoved him out of the way. He saw the police officer, turned, and quickly moved to the back of the house, escaping through a window. Then they went upstairs and saw that scene.

Ye Sangsang opened her eyes and wrote down the name: Zhao Tianqi.

Regarding Qin Jiang, her previous profile was: No family, lost his wife and son early in life. During his early days in the force, he suffered psychological trauma that left him with certain mental obstacles. His personality is cold on the outside but warm on the inside; he is a good cop passionate about saving others, possessing a strong drive for solving cases. Her current profile remained the same. She was convinced again: he was that cold-on-the-outside, warm-on-the-inside good cop who, because of the death of his wife and son, was devoted to saving criminals to prevent them from repeating their mistakes.

Ye Sangsang wrote down Qin Jiang’s name and put a checkmark next to it.

"I hope I don't cause you to lose your reputation at the end of your life."

She rarely curled the corners of her mouth, revealing a smile. It wasn't an imitation or a calculated expression of emotion; it was a casual, genuine smile.

[Why did she suddenly smile? But it looks really good.]
[I feel like Sister Sang has figured something out.]
[Sangsang, I’m just curious, is Qin Jiang really the final boss?]

The chat room noticed the smile and began asking questions, their enthusiasm undiminished. Ye Sangsang glanced at the screen hovering in the corner of her vision. Seeming to anticipate their confusion, she said, "If we can't find the truth, he will be the killer." She wasn't a person with many hidden agendas; if it couldn't be investigated, Qin Jiang would simply have to be wronged.

[??? Does Sister Sang read minds?]
[It’s not hard to guess what we’re saying. By the way, Sister Sang actually talked to us! Although I like the interactions from the internet detective streamer next door, watching her work quietly is pretty good too, like watching a TV series. The main reason for this nonsense is that I want to confess: I love you, wifey!]
[Stop acting crazy. The other side is still investigating, the internet detective is still checking the victim's identity, they haven't found Lin Xue or the Death Hut yet, and Qin Jiang is still in a coma.]
[That person is outdated. They went offline yesterday and started finding Lin Xue and the Death Hut when they came back online tonight. It feels like they are catching up to Sangsang. I wonder who will be the first to clear this dungeon.]

The chat room felt that watching Ye Sangsang’s stream was an absolute thrill. Because they were sharing a dungeon with the internet detective streamer next door, everyone was happy to discuss both. Star Ring Live didn't forbid mentioning other streamers, as long as there were no attacks or insults.

Ye Sangsang didn't look; she didn't even know such people existed. She was about to profile the real killer. Unlike her profile of Qin Jiang, which remained unchanged after seeing him, she felt her profile of the real killer would require some adjustments.

She went to the crime scene—the place where the killer dismembered the body, cooked the girl, and even fried and ate her internal organs. "A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall," so when Ye Sangsang went out, she took Zheng He with her to avoid a "game over." Zheng He’s mood was noticeably lower; if the DNA results hadn't been pending, she didn't think she could have brought him out.

The two were silent on the way, quickly arriving at the rental house three kilometers outside of South Street—the place the viewers called the "Death Hut." It had already been cleaned by the forensic team, but as they walked in, they could still smell the horrific scent of blood and the lingering stench of decay. Zheng He’s face turned pale; perhaps it was hard for him to imagine that Qin Jiang could be such a bloody and cruel person. He looked around the house, noting the security bars reinforced with steel embedded in the walls, and after confirming it was safe, he stood with his back to the room at the entrance.

Ye Sangsang stood in the center of the room. Without wasting words, she began: "The girl was drugged and brought here. She was slender and wearing the beautiful clothes she had just bought. She was waiting for someone, or someone had lured her out with the promise of some benefit."

She turned to look at Zheng He. "She was captured. The killer was premeditated; he specifically targeted this person. In the middle of the night, he brought her to the scene and threw her onto the iron bed to wait for her to wake up."

"Was it in the middle of the night to avoid people? And why wait for her to wake up?" Zheng He asked.

Ye Sangsang nodded. "Torture. A madness born from within."

Just then, Gu Ling walked in. She knew they were coming and had called ahead to say she would join them. She watched Ye Sangsang’s analysis and asked, "So, who was chosen? Was it a deliberately selected person?"

"The motive for the murder," Ye Sangsang prompted.

Zheng He, who knew Qin Jiang’s history, pondered for a moment. "The victim and Qin Jiang... had a grudge, or it was a continuation of a grudge."