263. No Murderer, Yet Everyone Was the Murderer

Lin·Purple Firmament was quite excited as she left the greenhouse.

"Although I don't understand Old Chen's scientific theories, judging from his confident look, it seems that the formation is very likely to succeed."

"And once successful, the subsequent Spiritual Qi Revival will be much easier."

"After completing the Spiritual Qi Revival, perhaps it won't take too many years before I can control this guy's body and have him stand before my true self?"

"Speaking of which, I'm really looking forward to it..."

She pondered for a long time, finally suppressing all her thoughts, and ran to meet up with Wu Guodong.

"How about it?"

The first thing Lin·Purple Firmament asked upon meeting was, "Have the DNA test results come back yet?"

"After comparing all night, the results are in."

Wu Guodong nodded, then said helplessly, "The two skeletons are Guo Baokun and Wang Guoqing, but how am I supposed to report this mess?"

He was in a lot of pain.

This is a 'strange case,' and it's a strange case from over twenty years ago. If it's solved, the benefits will be numerous.

Unfortunately... this thing can only be 'broken' halfway.

At least the car and the person have been found, so it's no longer a bizarre disappearance case.

But how exactly did they die?

Without evidence, Wu Guodong can't really say that they drove into the Yangtze River while drunk, can he?

Even if that's the truth, we can't say it like that; it's a good thing that can't be helped.

Therefore, this strange case can only be reduced to an unsolved case.

Where is it suspended?

At least in the police files, it will be written that "judging from the remains, there were no fatal injuries, and the cause of death should be suffocation."

How did he suffocate? Was it suicide or homicide? Or did he ditch in the river himself?

It won't be written in the case file, there's nothing we can do about it.

Therefore, the case can only remain unresolved.

"I don't care."

Lin·Purple Firmament rolled her eyes. "I've already said that I can find the person for you and tell you the details of the case, but I'm not sure if I can find any evidence."

"However, it's not impossible to solve this case, but the chances are slim."

"You mean, investigate the people who ran restaurants in that area back then?"

"Right."

"That hope is really slim..."

Wu Guodong sighed.

Isn't it a slim chance?

Twenty years ago, all the people who ran restaurants in that area... even if you could find them all and ask them one by one, who would remember that someone drove a car with license plate number XX to their home for a meal twenty years ago, got drunk, and then drove off while intoxicated?

"However, although the hope is slim, it is still possible, and I will have someone try to do it."

He nodded slightly. "In addition, the deceased's family has been notified."

"We are very grateful to you."

"It's alright." Lin·Purple Firmament smiled. "Tell them my name, and by the way, whether they need anything or not, just sincerely burn some incense for us."

Upon hearing this, Wu Guodong was stunned. "(⊙o⊙) Huh???"

"Who... who are you, ghost? Why are you making people burn incense for you?"

"..."

Lin·Purple Firmament put her hand to her forehead. "You're the ghost!"

"Ahem, sorry, I was just too surprised for a moment. Why would a living person, perfectly healthy, ask someone else to burn incense for them?"

"... Just do as I say!"

"Let's go see Zhou Xiaoran. Compared to that, I'd rather find the murderer in this case. The little girl is so pitiful."

"Yes!"

During their conversation, the two set off again, and after more than an hour, they arrived at their destination.

Zhou Xiaoran's family doesn't live in a mountain village, but in a dilapidated house on the outskirts of the city.

Before even entering the house, Wu Guodong whispered, "Their family is really pitiful."

"We used to be considered a well-off family, and that was decades ago, but now..."

"Sigh, let's go in and take a look. If we can find out anything, that would be great."

Knock knock knock.

Wu Guodong knocked on the door, and a haggard old woman opened it. After looking closely, she asked, "Who are you looking for?"

"Sister-in-law, I've been here before."

Wu Guodong quickly replied, "I'm a police officer, here to investigate a case."

However, before he could finish speaking, the old woman decisively closed the door. "Hehe, no need, no matter how much you investigate, it'll still be the same."

"There's been a new development in Zhou Xiaoran's Case, and we'd like to come and see."

Wu Guodong pulled on the door of the house.

"I know you've been disappointed that we haven't been able to find the exact killer before, but this time we definitely can. Please trust us one more time!"

"Then tell me, who is the murderer?!"

The door was half-closed, held by Wu Guodong, but the old woman wouldn't let go, her face full of disbelief.

"We need to see Zhou Xiaoran again before we can be sure."

"..."

"No."

The old woman still wanted to close the door.

Hope after hope, disappointment after disappointment, and then despair... for more than 20 years.

The once vibrant young girl, the once talented woman, has long since vanished. Now... it's hard to put into words.

police?

She had long since stopped believing.

"We really can..."

Wu Guodong wanted to say more.

The old woman wouldn't listen at all. Fortunately, a man's voice came from inside the house. "Let them come in and take a look."

"What's the use of looking at it?!"

The old woman persisted.

"See, they've given up."

An old man appeared, pulled the old woman away, and began to puff on his homemade "leaf tobacco," filling the room with smoke.

"This time it won't happen, we'll definitely find the murderer!"

Wu Guodong spoke solemnly, then pulled Lin·Purple Firmament inside. Soon after, Lin Zixiao saw Zhou Xiaoran.

She had never met Zhou Xiaoran and didn't know what she was like back then, but she had seen photos of her.

In the photo, Zhou Xiaoran is innocent, lively, youthful, and beautiful.

But now...

It's a long story.

Dementia, bloated, and completely unrecognizable from his former self.

Fortunately, her parents loved her and continued to take care of her even though she had been suffering from dementia for over twenty years, so she wasn't dirty.

Even so, the abject poverty of their home and their plight deeply saddened Lin·Purple Firmament.

"How about it?"

Wu Guodong spoke.

The Two Elders standing to the side immediately frowned slightly.

"Didn't you say you had a lead?" Mother Zhou sneered. "You'd better leave. Don't bother us anymore. We're not worthy..."

"..."

Lin·Purple Firmament did not respond. After using the Heaven and Earth Grand Deduction Art to observe, she fell silent.

Then, he slowly shook his head.

"?!"

Wu Guodong was stunned. "You... how could this be?"

"Is it about to be a ritual? Let's go prepare the things immediately."

"No need," Lin·Purple Firmament refused.

"Ah?!"

"What nonsense are you talking about? We absolutely must solve this case..."

"I know."

Lin·Purple Firmament sighed softly, "That's why I said it's not necessary, the result is already known."

"Any results?"

Wu Guodong was even more confused. "Why did you shake your head when there was a result?"

"My shaking my head means... there is no murderer."

Mother Zhou's face immediately turned completely cold. "I knew it would be like this again, but this time it's even more outrageous. More than twenty years have passed, and you're actually saying there's no murderer?!"

"Are you implying that Xiaoran is poisoning herself?"

"Get out of here!!!"

At this moment, Father Zhou's expression was also very unpleasant.

"As expected, it was another moment of despair, and even more despair than before."

"Let's go."

He shook his head. "Don't bother us anymore..."

Wu Guodong's features scrunched up, and he took a deep breath, asking, "What exactly... did you see?"

He was really confused.

In yesterday's case, Guo Baokun and Wang Guoqing were driving under the influence of alcohol and drove into the Yangtze River. There was no murderer in this case.

But today, they're saying there's no murderer?

But Zhou Xiaoran shouldn't poison herself, right? It just doesn't make sense, so he doesn't really believe it.

Lin·Purple Firmament remained expressionless, staring directly at everyone present, and spoke again, "There is no murderer, or rather... everyone is the murderer."

(P. S.: Please don't relate this to real life. I don't know how the real case went, and it's not the same case either. Besides, we can't afford to mess with them, cough cough.)

Father Zhou. and Mother Zhou were taken aback.

Mother Zhou couldn't help but yell, "What are you talking about? You say there's no murderer, then you say everyone is the murderer? So, is there a murderer or not?!"

"Let me tell you a story."

Lin·Purple Firmament glanced at Wu Guodong, and then, without waiting for their agreement, began to speak on her own.

"There was a little girl who was very innocent, lively, cute, and loved to play."

"But she wasn't happy."

"From a young age, my parents made her learn many things: reading, writing, singing, dancing, playing the piano, swimming, painting..."

"Studying and various extracurricular tutoring classes became her entire childhood."

"But she is also very talented. Although she doesn't like it, her parents' insistence and her respect for them have kept her working hard."

"She succeeded, becoming a talented woman in everyone's eyes, the pride of her parents, and one of the most eye-catching people among her peers."

When Lin·Purple Firmament got to this point, the Two Elders looked somewhat bewildered.

"She got into a prestigious university, achieved excellent grades, and with further cultivation of her various interests and hobbies, she is also shining brightly."

"She can win first place in piano competitions, she can join the school swimming team and bring glory to the school, she can attract countless male peers and make people fall for her."

"But... she also encountered problems because of this."

"Envy."

"Exclusion".

Well!

At this point, Lin·Purple Firmament sighed softly, "In today's terms, it's school bullying."

"It's precisely because she's so outstanding, so outstanding that most girls her age would feel ashamed and inferior when they see her."

"So she was bullied, again and again, by classmates and teachers..."

"She was desperate. She wanted to drop out of school. She thought about not being so sharp and outspoken, and about being patient. But... the expectant look in her parents' eyes, their expectation that she would win first place and stand on the podium, made her grit her teeth and persevere."

"Until one day, she was bullied again and, unable to bear it any longer, went to another teacher. This teacher, however, believed that it takes two to tango and that both sides were at fault..."

"The nerves that had been taut for so long finally snapped."

"She wanted to end it all, even her own life."