Clown Game
Chapter 243 - 230: Simple, Yet Perfect Murder Case (Part Two)

Chapter 243: Chapter 230: Simple, Yet Perfect Murder Case (Part Two)

Lao Xing was a pitiable man. He had spent most of his life in the criminal investigation department and was now approaching 50 with no car, no house, and no wife. He was even that kind of person who couldn’t claim the status of "midlife divorcee." In previous years, he had a few matchmaking prospects, but they all pulled out the "nice guy" card on him because of his age, profession, or various other reasons... Some didn’t even bother with that.

In short, he was just like most people in his profession—without dreams, zest, prospects, or money. He spent his days either idle or incredibly busy, drinking, eating skewers, bullshitting, and waiting for retirement.

That day, as usual, after stuffing himself to the limit with a few colleagues by the streetside, he returned to his bachelor pad, ready to snooze off the effects of the alcohol.

But... as if it was destined for him to be single, it was also destined for him to be unlucky that day.

A phone call arrived as expected.

There’s a good saying: a call from a superior is the best hangover remedy. Just a second before, Lao Xing had been grumbling with a displeased face, yet as soon as he saw the caller ID on his phone, his drunkenness vanished instantly.

"Chief!"

He said, his voice lacking any hint of post-inebriation haziness, and his expression as solemn as if the chief himself were sitting opposite him.

It wasn’t that he was a brown-noser. Even with all the sycophancy in the world, his minor status wouldn’t increase his pension by a single cent. What concerned him was... at this hour, a call meant there had to be a big case!

...

Indeed, it was a big case!

The hotshot investor of K city had died!

He fell to his death!!

At his apartment on Shell Street, where he had lived for nearly ten years, he fell from the balcony and died!!!

Hmm... He died thoroughly.

Okay, at this point, someone is bound to interrupt me to ask: An investor lived on Shell Street, in an apartment building??? And for nearly ten years??? Are you kidding me?

In fact, that’s exactly the case! Now that we’ve come to this subject, let’s briefly introduce this investor.

His name isn’t important. As for his age, well... he was just under 40 this year, quite young among the successful.

It’s important to stress that his path to success was nearly legendary.

About ten years ago, he was just a twenty-something youth from the countryside who had come to K city to make his mark. He had washed dishes, waited tables, driven taxis, sold insurance—in short, a typical go-getter, striving for the urban dream.

And his urban dream turned out to be fantastic, eventually becoming a reality.

He learned, made money, and constantly proved himself to be clever, hardworking, and focused. Along with a bit of luck, he finally managed to start his own company and became a rising star in K city’s business world in just a few short years!

Of course, if that was all there was to it, his death wouldn’t have caused such a stir.

...

Because he truly climbed from the bottom rung to the high echelons of the pyramid, after gaining some power, he began to shine his light!

Just like what was praised in the textbooks of our childhood.

He invested in schools, shopping malls, participated in the city’s redevelopment, introduced a lot of business opportunities, and solved many people’s employment problems. At the same time, he truly brought some changes to a city.

Yes, he was indeed contributing, not just stuffing money into his own pockets, there’s no doubt about that. So, in the grand scheme of this era, he inevitably became one of the most shining figures in the city.

Oh, by the way, he even continued to live in the apartment building on Shell Street that he had saved up to buy all those years ago. And he had said in some interviews about himself that his material needs were actually not that high; a place full of memories like this... living here was very comfortable.

In the end, he got his wish and died here.

Building No. 222, 5th-floor balcony, the protective railing was aged and came loose, accidental death from a fall.

No suspect, no investigative targets, the deceased was alone in the room, the door lock was not broken, the windows were intact, no traces of a second person present in the room, the wife was far away, friends had no motive to commit the crime, business competitors also had no viable means to do it, the surveillance cameras in the corridor were on 24/7 without interruption, no one went into the room, no one left the room, and the room had already been turned upside down, no mechanisms, no hiding spots, nothing at all. Even all the people and vehicles coming in and out of the community had been checked, probably in vain for any suspicious leads.

This was the information gathered by the criminal investigation team in the short two hours after the incident occurred.

Although there were still fingerprints to collect, autopsy results to wait for, various forensic comparisons to make, which required some time to yield results, Old Xing’s experience from years in the death business told him.

This was an accident.

...

Of course, experience doesn’t prove anything, and in any case, he always maintained a skeptical and fact-seeking attitude. Otherwise, the chief wouldn’t have handed the case over to him.

The death of the investor was really too significant; the funds for the building projects were cut off, who would cover the future expenses of the schools he invested in, what would happen to the business opportunities that came for his social circle.

With his death, everything related to him collapsed.

Therefore, his death had to be crystal clear, without a single loophole. Even if it was an accident, it had to be investigated as thoroughly as a major case, like serial murders!

...

Hmm, indeed, Old Xing understood the chief’s psychology but, when it came down to him, it was a bit troublesome. After all, not even a suspect could be pinpointed at the moment. And the higher-ups were pushing hard, so out of no choice, he gritted his teeth and decided to cast a wide net; whether he could catch any fish or not was another matter, the important thing was to make a show of force first!

"Xiao Liu! Detain people and start interrogating right away! I’ve applied for the authority from above," Old Xing rubbed his slightly reddened face, lit a cigarette to sober up, and said to his subordinate officer.

Xiao Liu thought for a moment and asked cautiously in a low voice, "Detain whom?"

Old Xing’s foot lashed out onto his sitting chair, "Have you been drinking too? Detain whoever the deceased had contact with recently!"

Xiao Liu put on a troubled face, "The deceased was away on a business trip, he just returned to K city this afternoon, went straight home after getting off the plane, and the only person he had any contact with the entire way was a taxi driver!"

"What?" Old Xing’s eyes twitched. He had also just arrived at the crime scene, and he hadn’t had time to read the case report... anyway, those stinky and lengthy case reports were not as comfortable to listen to as his subordinates’ verbal accounts.

So, find some people who could be somewhat related and start interrogating them. In case a clueless reporter breaks in and finds out we don’t even have a suspect, they’re sure to make a fuss in the newspapers. In the meantime, quickly contact the victim’s family, and go through the death beneficiaries again, bring in whoever can be brought in; we must control the public opinion regarding this case.

After listening, Xiao Liu nodded, seemingly coming up with some strategy.

"We found a granny a while ago; almost all the rented houses in this community have gone through her hands, probably we can pull a few people out of her..."

(Written while drunk, might be a bit incoherent, I’ll revise it later, mainly to help check if there are any logical errors, thanks for pointing them out.)