Criminal Psychology Book 1

Chapter 2: Baisha

Hongjing was an old city.

It had seen many storms, but no matter what happened, big or small, it failed to make any ripples. The sun would rise, the students would wake up early, and the sound of morning lectures could be heard on campus as usual.

These situations were no different from the previous days.

As always, Lin Chen checked the student dorms. When he finished checking the last box on the roster, he turned to the front page and looked at only the names that hadn't been marked off.

As the school's dorm manager, this was something he was most afraid of encountering.

Just five minutes ago, he received a call from a teacher saying that Zheng Xiaoming, who was a first-year student in class three, was absent from morning class. The teacher asked him to go to his room to wake up the kid, who was probably still in bed.

But what really surprised him was that, after inspecting the dorms, he didn't see any students there.

The white flower and blue background curtains at the dorm were blown gently by the wind. Lin Chen sighed. After three years of working here, this was the first time he encountered a missing student.

He casually spun the pen in his hand. His impression of Zheng Xiaoming was that the kid was quiet and chubby. He didn't seem like the type who would be rebellious. Moreover, the school was strictly guarded. The guard wouldn't easily let a child go out alone. Perhaps it was more likely he was taken away by his parents, or could it be that he was kidnapped?

As if to confirm his thoughts, his cellphone suddenly rang.

He took out his phone and saw an unidentified number belonging to Hongjing's area code.

He connected the call and pressed the record button. A lazy voice came from the other line. "Mr. Lin, do you know Zheng Xiaoming?"

"Yes."

"Well, Xiaoming is now in my hands. Please bring your wallet and come to Cangshui Bridge on Yanjia Lane to get him. Thank you for your cooperation."

After the other party finished speaking, they hung up.

Lin Chen looked at the string of numbers on the screen, stupefied. Not only was this the first time a student went missing, but it was also the first time he encountered such a carefree "kidnapper".

He hesitated for a moment, debating whether he should call the police, then grabbed his wallet and went to take a bus.

The day chosen by the kidnapper was good. The trees were lush and the flowers were in full bloom. Even the river under the Cangshui Bridge was shimmering like glass that had just been cleaned.

As if he was being watched, as soon as he stepped onto the stone bridge, his phone rang again.

The kidnapper's voice was hoarse and calm. "Mr. Lin, please turn left. I'll wait for you at the sixth door."

It must be a thing that all kidnappers loved to command others. Before Lin Chen could joke about the "sixth door", the aforementioned door sign, Unit 6 Yanjia Lane, had already appeared in front of him.

Dusty walls, an old door, and a window.

The wooden door creaked open. When he looked up, he saw an unshaven man standing by the door frame.

The man held a cigarette in his left hand while supporting himself on the doorframe with his right. The sun cast its rays on him, illuminating a pair of languid eyes that looked a bit sunken. Those eyes were faintly green. They looked unbridled, which gave off an unscrupulous vibe, giving him a look of recklessness, as if the sky, water, and city full of spring could be easily discarded.