On the other end, Lin Gerui gave a soft "mm" after hearing Chen Huijie's words before saying, "I'll have little Lin follow up on this. If there are any developments later, you can coordinate with her."
"Sorry for the trouble," Chen Huijie said before hanging up. Then she looked toward the body. "Is there any other evidence?"
little Flandre thought for a moment and said, "I remember there's surveillance at the main entrance, right? Can't we see anyone from there?"
"We've already retrieved the surveillance footage. Current reports from the Information Department show that between 10:00 PM and midnight last night, only a single woman and a couple entered this park. We've already arranged for someone to check the single woman's identity."
Chen Huijie nodded and then asked, "I recall this park usually has quite a lot of people, doesn't it? Why were there so few people last night?"
"Because of the rain, probably!" Flandre answered. Although she had been asleep, it didn't mean she didn't know what was happening outside.
"That's right. It started raining after 9:30 PM last night, accompanied by a rapid drop in temperature of about ten degrees. Although the rain only lasted for about an hour, because it was night and the temperature was too low, plus the lights at the park entrance are quite dim, very few people would still be wandering around here at that time," the Lungmen Guard Officer nearby replied.
"Can the Information Department lock down the victim's identity?" Chen Huijie asked.
"It will take some time," the other party replied.
"Then tell them to hurry up! Once those guys from the Cult of Truth make a move, it's definitely not just about a single victim. We must root them out before they kill more people."
After Chen Huijie finished speaking, she had the Forensic Doctor nearby transport the body back to the Guard Department. She and the others then checked the surroundings for any other clues. Seeing this, Flandre waved her fingers and muttered under her breath. Chen Huijie, who had searched for a while with no results, walked over and couldn't help but stop when she saw Flandre's actions.
"What are you doing?"
Flandre didn't answer but pointed at the spot where the body had just been, and a small, transparent bat appeared in mid-air. "Let's go, Chen Huijie. I'll take you to the deceased's home."
Upon hearing this, Chen Huijie's gaze became serious. "How sure are you?"
"Magic and blood do not make mistakes. So, one hundred percent."
While checking the body earlier, Flandre had collected a bit of residual blood from the victim. This spell used that blood to track the target's trail. Seeing this, Chen Huijie nodded and waved over several Lungmen Guard Officers. "You few, come with me."
The group followed the transparent bat. Just as they left the park, Flandre "saw" two trails provided by the bat. One was a very fresh trail leading toward the Guard Department—the body that had just been transported away—so Flandre naturally wouldn't choose it. She led the group in the other direction.
"Can you tell us the principle behind this spell?" Considering they still had to walk an unknown distance, Chen Huijie asked about the effect of Flandre's spell.
"Blood-seeking Bat, a common way for the Vampire race to track prey. As long as there's a drop of the target's blood, no matter where they hide, they can be found. Of course, the actual effect is using the blood to find the movement trajectory of the blood's owner. This trajectory is very difficult to erase; you almost have to wait for time to fade it. Usually, it takes about a week. That body died less than a day ago, so the path is quite clear. However, this spell is exclusive to Blood Demons. I can't teach it."
Flandre wasn't lying. The spell looked simple, but it actually required her bloodline to work. Currently, in all of Terra, only Alina could learn this spell. Chen Huijie was very tempted after hearing this. If everyone in the Guard Department could master such a spell, many murder cases could be solved easily. Although it was a pity she couldn't learn it, being able to resolve this current matter made her quite satisfied.
After walking for over half an hour, the group arrived at the base of a residential building.
"The victim lives in this building?" Chen Huijie asked. Flandre nodded. "Let's go!"
Seeing this, Chen Huijie followed the transparent bat up. They stopped at a door on the third floor. Chen Huijie listened and heard sounds inside, so she knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" a sharp female voice called out, and then a small peephole opened in the door frame. A middle-aged woman was looking out warily. Upon seeing the group of Lungmen Guard Officers at the door, she shuddered. Then, she cautiously opened the door. "Officers, is there something you need?"
Chen Huijie didn't lead the men inside but asked, "Are you the only one at home?"
"The old man went downstairs to buy groceries, and my daughter said she was going out to a party with friends last night and hasn't come back yet." The woman's face was a bit pale; as an ordinary citizen, it was impossible not to be nervous facing the Guard Department.
"Is your daughter about twenty-two years old, about 160 centimeters tall, and has dyed red hair?" Chen Huijie had pretty much guessed the victim was likely this family's daughter when she saw the woman's ears. After all, both of them had a pair of drooping Lupo ears.
Hearing the description, the woman's face became even more panicked. "Officer, has something happened to my daughter?"
"I'm very sorry, but your daughter was murdered in the community park last night."
As soon as Chen Huijie spoke, the woman's eyes rolled back, her legs went weak, and she collapsed. Fortunately, Chen Huijie was quick and caught her. A few minutes later, the woman woke up and began to wail. The crying attracted many neighbors, but seeing those fully armed Lungmen Guard Officers, they all shrank back.
Before long, the male owner of the house rushed back. Upon learning of his daughter's death, he forced himself to look at Chen Huijie. "Officer, you must catch the killer and avenge my daughter."
"Arresting the killer is the duty of our Guard Department. We've come to learn if your daughter has been in contact with any unidentified personnel recently, and whether we can search her room. Rest assured, we won't move anything carelessly."
Chen Huijie called over an officer to record statements while she led Flandre into the room. This was a typical young woman's bedroom. Not far away on a desk lay a work notebook. Chen Huijie flipped through it; it was clear she was a young girl who had just graduated and was still full of passion.
After looking through it, she turned to Flandre. "Have you found anything on your end?"
"No suspicious spells or rune traces were found in this room. Those two outside are both fine; they match all the behavioral characteristics of people in grief. I can confirm they have no connection to that Cult of Truth."
"The victim's social circle is very clean, so identifying the killer shouldn't be too difficult," Chen Huijie nodded.
By this time, the other search personnel had completed their work. After arranging for the parents to go to the Guard Department, Chen Huijie met with several Lungmen Guard Officers responsible for the case.
"The victim's phone is missing, but she told her mother she was going to a friend's gathering. This is her friend, Li Zhen, also twenty-two years old. She works at a beauty shop. little Flandre and I will go bring her back to the station. The rest of you investigate the gathering venue."
"Actually, it doesn't need to be that much trouble," Flandre said, raising her hand. "Just bring them all back to the station and let me have a look. If the person is the killer, they will definitely have the blood aura of the deceased on them. It can't be hidden from my eyes."
"Right... Also, I remember that couple entered the park shortly after the victim last night. Find them and bring them back too," Chen Huijie added.
"Madam, you suspect that couple?"
Chen Huijie nodded. "The lunatics of the Cult of Truth never act with any rhyme or reason. A momentary whim could lead to a bloody crime."
The Lungmen Guard Officers immediately sprang into action. Chen Huijie then looked at Flandre. "It will take some time to bring people back. You might have to stay here for a long time today—maybe you'll have to work overtime with me."
"That's fine, I can read books here too!" Flandre patted her backpack, then found a seat and began flipping through a book.
Around five o'clock, Beatrice Swire (the Pink Sausage Dragon) came to pick her up. After learning that Flandre had to "work overtime," she doubled over with laughter. "Then you go ahead and work overtime, little Flandre. I'll head back and bring dinner for you."
Flandre didn't know what the Pink Sausage Dragon was so happy about, so she just waved goodbye.
"A few people have already been brought back. Flandre, why don't you go take a look first? If the killer is among them, it'll save everyone else a lot of trouble," Chen Huijie said.
"Alright!" Flandre stood up and walked with Chen Huijie toward the interrogation room on the second floor.
"Not this one!"
"Not this one either!"
After looking at several people in a row, Flandre shook her head. Because she could only feel fear from them, without a trace of the victim's blood aura.