Chapter 208: The Missing Shard

2022-05-20

The group straightened up, shaking off their fatigue, then headed to the forensics lab. The sackful of items Xiao Liu had brought back last night was now resting quietly in the office.

The corridor was eerily silent, only the sound of our footsteps echoed as we walked. When we opened the office door, we saw all the items neatly sorted into evidence bags.

The crucial evidence—the shards from several bowls—were being placed carefully into one bag. Judging by the size and shape of the fragments, they clearly didn’t belong to just one bowl. It looked like these shards could piece together several bowls.

I glanced at everyone, then gave the shards a quick look. “Let’s try putting them together. Maybe we can figure out what we’re missing.”

Before anyone could object, we all got to work. Gloves on, we carefully took out the shards and started piecing them together. I focused on each fragment, matching up the patterns. Thankfully, the shards were big and relatively clean breaks—they hadn’t shattered into tiny pieces or else there’d be no way to reconstruct anything whole.

With the shards as large as they were, we didn’t even need glue. They held together well enough unless something bumped them. Soon, we managed to form three complete bowls. But as we worked on a fourth, we realized one shard was missing.

We double-checked, but we were certain: every piece in the bag had been used, yet there was still an empty spot. That left only two possibilities. Either Xiao Liu’s team hadn’t brought that shard out from the sewer, or they took it out but then removed it later.

Gu Chen eyed the newly assembled bowls, barely daring to breathe for fear even a stray gust would topple the fragile creations into a pile of shards again. “So, what are we looking for here? They look like ordinary bowls to me—just old ones. Honestly, my family has bowls that are as old as I am.”

I held my breath, studying the bowls intently. On the surface, there didn’t seem to be anything unusual. The bowls were definitely from decades past, but each was painted with tiny animals in vibrant colors. It reminded me of the old bowls back at home when I was little, each one with that same distinct vintage charm.

As I closely assembled the shards, I realized these bowls had to be part of a set—each featured a different animal painted on the outside. There was a rooster, a big rat, a puppy, a pig. All together there were four bowls assembled, but the missing shard belonged to the rooster bowl.

I leaned in to examine the exposed edge where the shard was missing. The break was fresh—barely oxidized at all—which meant it had only recently been chipped. That suggested these bowls had been kept safe for a long time until they were broken just lately.

There were small chips and scrapes here and there, the kind you get from everyday use, and the wear was obvious. But strangely, the insides were quite clean. Things found in the sewer are usually covered in grime and stink to high heaven.

Yet these bowls were different. Their interiors were mostly clean. There were a few traces of dirt, but even those wiped away easily. That told us the stains weren’t old but recently picked up—probably what tipped Xiao Liu off that the killer had left them behind.

We’d run into the killer by surprise in the sewer, so of course, he hadn’t had time to collect his things. After that, Xiao Liu launched a full search, combing through the sewer for hours. By then, it was impossible for the killer to double back and reclaim anything.

I carefully wrapped up one of the bowls and flipped it over to check for any markings. Sure enough, the bottom showed a date: 2002. That meant these bowls had been around for more than a decade. Their survival after all this time could only be explained by careful storage and protection.

And these bowls belonged to the killer.

I started to understand what Xiao Liu was thinking.

Bowls preserved for so long must’ve meant something special to the killer. Otherwise, why hold onto them? Judging by the way he moved, it looked like these bowls had always been close at hand—which also kept them from getting dirty.

Studying the bowls, I spoke up. “Mary, do you think you can track where these bowls were made?”

I handed Mary the bowl to check. She peered at the faded markings on the bottom. “Red Mill Factory? That name sounds ancient. I’ll try to look it up, but with how many years it’s been, I’m not sure if that factory’s even around anymore.”

I gave Mary a grateful shoulder rub. “Sorry to trouble you with this, but I don’t think the killer kept these bowls for no reason. They clearly meant something. If we can figure out who bought these bowls all those years ago, we might just uncover the killer’s identity.”

Mary glanced back at me and smiled. “Don’t worry, kid. If it’s about catching the killer, I’ll take it even more seriously than you. It’ll just take some time, that’s all. I’ll start by checking sales records in Dongxing City from 2002, then dig further if I need to.”

Mary nodded to the group. “Alright then, I’ll head back and see what I can find out.”

But just as she finished speaking, footsteps sounded outside the door. Moments later, some familiar faces entered. It was Team Leader Li, Xiao Liu, and a couple of their team members—running into each other this late at night felt almost surreal.

I locked eyes with Team Leader Li, who looked right back at me.

After a beat, Team Leader Li spoke. “Up investigating evidence in the middle of the night—aren’t you lot working hard tonight.”

I smiled back. “Aren’t you here doing the same, Team Leader Li? You must’ve made some breakthrough to show up yourself this late. But if you ask me, it might still be a bit early for fieldwork.”

Li snorted. “You don’t need to worry about us. Xiao Liu, go verify your theory. If it checks out, we’ll start getting everything in place. When the killer moves again, we’ll bring him in.”

Xiao Liu nodded and walked over, examining the patterns on the four bowls. He studied them for a moment before giving a firm nod. “No mistake—the killer’s probably among those few people. But catching all of them at once won’t be easy. It’s going to take time.”

“That’s good enough for me.” A smile briefly crossed Team Leader Li’s face, but it vanished as he glanced at me again. His tone turned cold. “Alright, we’ll go set things up. And look, it’s almost four in the morning. There’s not much left for you all to do tonight. Get some rest. When Team Leader Shao wakes up, let him know—we’re close to catching our killer.”

Xiao Liu glanced at our group but said nothing, following Li out the door.

I called after him, “Xiao Liu, there’s actually something you should know. Actually, you’re the one who needs to hear this. If what I’m about to ask is right, your theory’s got a problem, so answer me honestly.”

Team Leader Li and Xiao Liu stopped, turning to look at me. I knew Xiao Liu well—he was the kind of guy who missed nothing, obsessive about every detail of a case. He might not always believe me, but he’d always listen.

“There’s a key piece of the rooster bowl missing,” I told Xiao Liu. “And it’s not actually lost—you took it to have it tested, right? Out of all the shards, only that one is gone, so you must’ve sent it off for analysis.”

Xiao Liu didn’t answer, but Team Leader Li looked at me with fresh interest. “Is that so? That shard is being tested. Does it matter?”

I shrugged. “Then I guessed right. Here’s my second point: the reason you sent just that shard for analysis is because it had traces left by the killer. He’s careful and hardly ever leaves clues. If no one had looked closely, even the bed sheet from before would never have yielded anything. So, I’m guessing it’s not just fingerprints on that shard, is it?”

“Score another one for you,” Li said, clasping both hands behind his back.

I nodded, keeping my pace. “Here’s my third point: there must be blood on that shard from the killer himself. The night we ran into him in the sewer he panicked, and must have cut himself on the bowl’s sharp edge.”

Li’s brow furrowed deeply—he clearly never expected me to guess this much about what should have been his team’s secret.

“How do you know all this?” Li’s voice was suddenly very serious.

I tapped my temple. “It’s all in here! And not just that—I know what you discovered when you tested that shard.”

“Oh?” Both of them sounded genuinely surprised.