SFTD -Chapter 316 Missing Memory (Part 8)

Through a specialized passage, the two followed the police officer to Director Jiang’s office.

The officer knocked on the door. Director Jiang quickly opened it a crack. Seeing it was the officer he had arranged, he nodded and waved him off.

“Alright, you can go back now. If anyone comes looking for me within the next two hours, just say I’m resting and chatting with them.”

The officer agreed and turned to leave. Director Jiang didn’t open the door fully; instead, he pulled Xu Biao and Zhou Hai into the room one by one. Once inside, they saw Wang Xuchao sitting on the sofa behind the door. The two exchanged a glance and instantly understood Jiang’s intention.

Director Jiang, with his chubby frame, poked his head out to check the corridor, then quickly locked the office door. He also shut all the blinds tightly and checked everything again thoroughly. Such behavior needed no further explanation.

Xu Biao walked over to Wang Xuchao and punched him on the shoulder with a grin.

“I didn’t expect to see you. I didn’t even bring any food. I’ll bring some next time, alright?”

Wang Xuchao rubbed his short, stubbly hair. He hadn’t taken care of himself for a day and a night; his beard had fully grown out, his eyes were bloodshot and red-rimmed, and he looked completely exhausted.

But hearing Xu Biao’s words, he relaxed a little. The fact that Director Jiang had arranged this meeting already meant he was violating discipline.

“Just being able to see me is already good enough. I’m satisfied.”

Xu Biao curled his lip. “Tch, don’t say unlucky things like that. We haven’t given up, so why are you already looking so defeated?”

Zhou Hai and Director Jiang sat across from Wang Xuchao. Director Jiang didn’t look as relaxed as before and tapped the table.

“My wife made some braised snacks. I didn’t expect you two to come. I was actually planning to drink a couple of cups with Xuchao. You almost scared the life out of me just now.”

Xu Biao burst out laughing, then widened his small eyes in indignation.

“Damn it, you still want to drink? You better quit alcohol already! You got drunk and blacked out—now it’s good, and we don’t even know what you did last night!”

“Don’t talk about me—you think I know what I did either?”

Zhou Hai looked at Wang Xuchao. Since entering the room, he had barely spoken. Wang Xuchao occasionally glanced at him. Zhou Hai took out his phone, opened two posts, and handed it to him.

“Take a careful look. See if you can recall anything.”

Wang Xuchao knew Zhou Hai genuinely wanted to help him. At a time when most acquaintances and friends were keeping their distance, this trust meant a lot. He suppressed his emotions and quickly took the phone.

The two posts were extremely detailed. The more he read, the more furious he became, his face full of confusion. From his expression, Zhou Hai could already tell—he truly couldn’t remember anything he had done.

Xu Biao leaned over. “You don’t remember anything at all?”

Wang Xuchao shook his head.

“I remember Zhou Hai leaving, then I went downstairs with Yu Xiuhong. Someone bumped into us during that time. After that, everything becomes very blurry… I think I remember shouting voices and laughter, but nothing else.”

Zhou Hai looked up. “Have you taken a shower?”

Wang Xuchao was confused by the question and shook his head.

“Huh? No—”

“Take off your clothes.”

Seeing Zhou Hai’s serious expression and the others staring at him, Wang Xuchao didn’t argue. He stood up and pulled off his shirt.

“How much do I need to take off?”

Xu Biao kicked him lightly with his knee, eyeing his muscular build jealously.

“Stop acting like a woman. Take it all off. Completely naked.”

Zhou Hai shot Xu Biao a glance. “If he wants to take them off, I don’t want to see everything. Leave his underwear on. Outer clothes and pants are enough.”

Wang Xuchao looked wronged. Director Jiang stood beside Xu Biao, watching like it was entertainment. Wang Xuchao turned to him.

“Turn around. What are you looking at?”

Director Jiang glared. “Hurry up and take them off, stop talking!”

Wang Xuchao knew this wasn’t the time to be picky, so he quickly removed his pants, shoes, and socks.

Zhou Hai stood behind him, carefully observing. Based on the posture in the video, Wang Xuchao had been struck on the left cheek and fallen onto his right shoulder.

On his right shoulder, there were indeed two patches of bruising and abrasions.

Zhou Hai examined the wounds closely with a magnifying glass. The injury had already scabbed over, but the abrasion area was large. The exudate had dried into a mix of translucent and blood-colored scabs.

Within the fine abrasions, there seemed to be a trace of green fibers embedded in the scab.

Zhou Hai pointed at the wound and asked Xu Biao to take photos. Director Jiang also raised his body camera, since any potential evidence needed full documentation; otherwise, anything found later would be difficult to verify.

Wang Xuchao tried to turn his head, but Zhou Hai slapped him on the lower back.

“Don’t move. Bear with the pain—I need to peel off this scab.”

Before Wang Xuchao could react, Zhou Hai forcefully tore off a section of the scab.

Wang Xuchao flinched in pain, but since Director Jiang was recording, he held back and didn’t make a sound. His face twisted in pain. Xu Biao, while taking photos, even managed to snap a close-up of his expression.

Zhou Hai placed the scab into a small plastic evidence container and continued examining his body. In addition to this abrasion, he found several minor cuts on his fingers and knees.

Inside his fingernails, he also discovered a small piece of green paint residue, which he carefully collected into an evidence box.

Zhou Hai narrowed his eyes.

A punch to the face couldn’t cause so many abrasions on the body. Moreover, these wounds weren’t consistent with a single impact—they suggested rolling or dragging.

Had he fallen somewhere?

Or scraped against a vehicle?

But where did the green paint come from?

Wait… a vehicle. How did the victim and Wang Xuchao return to the villa?

“Xu Biao, have Xiao Liu take Xiao Hu and check the surveillance from Yu Xiuhong’s residential complex. Find out what time the deceased returned home, whether the gate records anything, and whether they drove or took a car. I remember that community uses Bluetooth access control, meaning ordinary vehicles can’t enter. We need to find out how they got back to the villa.”

Xu Biao scratched his head. “I think Xiao Liu already checked the surveillance this morning. Hang on, I’ll ask.”

He called Xiao Liu.

“You checked the gate surveillance today, right?”

“Of course we did. We also asked the night guard. He said he saw the deceased’s car around midnight. But he only saw the rear of the car. By the time he walked over and looked into the compound, the car had already turned and headed toward the south villa area.”

Zhou Hai listened carefully and took the phone.

“Is this what the guard said? So he didn’t see who was driving, only the rear of the vehicle entering the compound around midnight?”

Xiao Liu thought for a moment. He knew Zhou Hai needed precision.

“Yes. We took a statement from the night guard. I remember clearly. We even asked him whether it was a man or a woman driving. He said he didn’t see the driver, only the car’s rear.

We checked the surveillance too, but the sunshade blocked the view. The driver’s face was in shadow and couldn’t be identified. The car was moving fast—it was gone in an instant. Xiao Zhao also went to review the footage and took screenshots, but the driver’s face was completely obscured.

If you’re not confident, I can copy the surveillance again?”