If the Deep Sea Forgets You

“Did the victim this morning really die in the exact same manner as the one at school?”

“They both died from excessive blood loss due to a slit to their throats.”

“Can I take a look at the photos of the crime scenes please?” Xia Qingyi asked.

Zhang Yang hesitated for a moment. Nevertheless, he took out the photos from the document file and passed them to her.

Xia Qingyi examined the photos closely. Similarly, blood was everywhere. The throat was slit. The victim’s clothes were also ruined. The victim must have been humiliated when she was still alive.

“Don’t these photos scare you?” Zhang Yang asked as he watched Xia Qingyi’s unchanging expression. She merely looked at the photos with full concentration. He was a little surprised. There were police officers who found themselves getting uncomfortable when they looked at crime scene photos. It had taken him a long time to get used to looking at photos when he had first started to investigate murder cases.

Xia Qingyi glanced up at him. She smiled softly, “There’s not much to be afraid of. It’s just some dead people.”

Zhang Yang kept his mouth shut. He watched as she flipped through the few photos of the crime scene repeatedly. He recalled something that his mentor had told him – there are some people where it is clear what they are suited to do with just a glance. Everything they do will show this unusual capability. It is a special capability that others cannot achieve even if they dedicate their lifetime to it..

“Is there anything you can tell from the photos?” Zhang Yang asks.

Xia Qingyi put down the photos and picked up the coffee cup on the table. She turned to Zhang Yang’s eager eyes, “I didn’t find anything.”

Zhang Yang bent forward, speechless, as he looked at her, “You haven’t been able to find anything even though you’ve been looking at the photos for such a long time?”

Xia Qingyi shrugged, “Nope. From the photos, there’s not much of a difference from school. The only difference is that the location of the crime is different.”

“Isn’t what you’re saying common sense?!” Zhang Yang rolled his eyes at her.

He put away the photos unhappily. He had thought that Xia Qingyi would be able to find a new clue. He was beginning to suspect that his intuitions were wrong in telling him that Xia Qingyi could help him.

“It’s only been a week between the two murders. If the murderer is truly the same person as in the previous case, aren’t they a little impatient?” Xia Qingyi seemed to be talking to herself.

Zhang Yang glanced at his watch. It was nearly time for his meeting back at the police station. He got up to leave. He was not able to walk too far before Xia Qingyi stopped him by calling out, “Please watch out. There’s a chance… I’m saying maybe… that there’ll be more similar cases.”

Zhang Yang was grim, “How do you know that?”

“I don’t know how you solve your cases. But from the photos, I can feel that the murdered is slightly disturbed psychologically. He hates women, especially women who are young and beautiful. He is slightly impatient and is probably thinking about a repeat performance.”

Zhang Yang doubted her. “Is what you’re saying true?”

“There’s an 80% chance.”

“Do you have any suggestions?” Zhang Yang asked.

“Focus the scope of your investigation towards the hospital.”

Zhang Yang wanted to ask more but Xia Qingyi’s mobile phone rang at that moment. She stood up with her belongings as she signaled to him that she was leaving. Zhang Yang had no choice but to leave it as it was, as he returned to the police station with his notebook.

It was Mo Han calling. Xia Qingyi picked up the phone as she walked, “What’s up, Older Brother?”

“Where are you now?”

“I’m outside. The same officer from a few days ago wanted to find out more about the case.”