Wrong Interrogation Room, The First Cracked Case Shocked the World

Chapter 43: The identity of the real murderer!

At the same time that Ning Cheng was suspicious of this burglary case, the members of the two groups were nearing the end of their investigations.

"Tang Xin, you're a forensic doctor, what clues do you have?" Ning Cheng asked, his gaze sharp.

"I just performed an autopsy," Tang Xin said, standing up from the edge of the corpse. She handed Ning Cheng the handwritten autopsy results, her voice calm but firm. "According to the body temperature and corpse spots, it can be preliminarily determined that Zheng Ling died between 9:00 and 11:00 this morning."

"The deceased had seven stab wounds," Tang Xin continued, her finger tracing the outline of a wound on the autopsy report. "The fatal wound was the throat cut on her neck. It severed the carotid artery, causing her to bleed out."

Ning Cheng glanced at the report, then crouched down beside the body, his eyes scanning the scene. Tang Xin, sensing his need, handed him a pair of medical latex gloves. He slipped them on, his fingers gently brushing against the cold skin of the deceased.

There was no doubt about Tang Xin's expertise. Her assessment of the corpse was precise and thorough. The multiple stab wounds, the fatal throat cut – it was all there, laid out in stark detail.

Just then, Mu Xiaoyu emerged from the room, Zheng Yunyun trailing behind her.

"Xiao Ning, I've checked the room," Mu Xiaoyu reported. "Comparing it to Zheng Yunyun's memory, her family has lost a lot of property – two gold bracelets, a string of gold necklaces, a pair of jade bracelets, and over two thousand in cash."

"Gold bracelet, necklace, jade?" Ning Cheng's eyes flickered to Zheng Yunyun. "These were your grandmother's?"

"Yes," Zheng Yunyun confirmed, her voice trembling slightly. "She loved wearing gold and jade, and she always kept cash on hand."

"Do you have any property damage?" Ning Cheng asked, his gaze lingering on the empty walls.

"No," Zheng Yunyun shook her head. "I keep all my money in the bank and online."

"How much do you personally estimate the damage to property?"

"More than two hundred thousand," Zheng Yunyun replied, her voice barely a whisper.

"That's a hefty sum," Ning Cheng murmured, his eyes narrowed. "Why don't you have any photos at home? Are you the only one living with your grandmother? Where are your parents?"

"My mother works at the company. I've informed her, and she's on her way back," Zheng Yunyun said, her voice strained. "My dad is in another city, not in Jiangcheng. We got divorced more than ten years ago. He had a car accident, injured his arm, and couldn't work. My grandmother asked my mother to divorce him. He left the Zheng family after that."

"So, your grandmother was essentially your grandmother?" Ning Cheng asked, his voice laced with a hint of skepticism.

"Right," Zheng Yunyun confirmed, her eyes downcast.

"I just took a look. The house has four bedrooms. Who else lives here besides your grandmother, mother, and you?"

"My sister, Zheng Lingyun," Zheng Yunyun replied. "She went to play at a classmate's house. I've informed her to come over."

"Okay, Mu Xiaoyu, you can make a brief record for Zheng Yunyun and ask for the deceased's identity information and the information of their family members," Ning Cheng instructed.

"Yes," Mu Xiaoyu nodded, leading Zheng Yunyun back into the room.

As they disappeared, Chen Yang, unable to contain his curiosity, spoke up. "Ning Cheng, what do you think? You don't think this is a robbery?"

"Do you think it's a case of burglary?" Ning Cheng countered, his gaze fixed on the cabinet in the living room. "Let's brainstorm and share your thoughts."

"This should be a case of burglary," Chen Yang asserted. "The property lost is over two hundred thousand – that's a major robbery. There are signs of ransacking everywhere. I think a robber broke in, saw the old lady, and murdered her for the money."

Ning Cheng's face remained impassive. He shook his head slowly, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

Tang Xin, noticing his subtle movement, chuckled. "It seems you have a different opinion, Ning Cheng."

"This is just my preliminary speculation," Ning Cheng said, his voice calm and measured. "I don't think this is a case of robbery burglary and murder."

He pointed to the cabinet. "See that cabinet in the living room? There are five drawers, but only the top drawer is open. The bottom drawers are untouched. Do you know what that means?"

Chen Yang frowned, his eyes searching for the answer.

"Try opening the cabinet drawers yourself," Ning Cheng instructed, a subtle challenge in his voice.

Chen Yang, following his instructions, pulled open the drawer below the top one. The second drawer opened with a groan, but the third and subsequent drawers became increasingly difficult to access, blocked by the top drawer. It was a cumbersome, time-consuming process.

"This..." Chen Yang's eyes widened in realization.

"Robbers prioritize efficiency," Ning Cheng explained, his voice low and steady. "They usually open drawers from the bottom up, saving time and effort. But here, only the top drawer is open, and the bottom drawers are untouched. What does that tell you?"

"It means the robber was amateurish, likely a fake robbery scene," Chen Yang concluded, a wave of understanding washing over him.

"Furthermore," Ning Cheng continued, his gaze sweeping across the room, "I've examined the doors and windows. They're all closed, and there are no traces of sand or footprints on them."

Chen Yang and Liu Qi exchanged stunned glances. They couldn't help but admire Ning Cheng's sharp observation skills and his ability to deduce the subtle nuances of the robber's movements. This was the insight and knowledge that only seasoned criminal police officers possessed.

"Why would the murderer fake the robbery scene, and who is the murderer?" Chen Yang asked, his voice filled with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension.

"The murderer faked the robbery scene to divert suspicion towards a random robber," Ning Cheng explained, his voice low and thoughtful. "As for the identity of the murderer, it must be someone who knew the deceased, or had a conflict with her."

"Why would you say so?" Chen Yang pressed, his eyes searching for the answer in Ning Cheng's enigmatic gaze.