SFTD -Chapter 74 Who’s Next (Part 12)

“Evidence bag!”

Xiao Liang climbed over to Zhou Hai with an evidence bag in hand. Following Zhou Hai’s gaze, his hand slipped—and he nearly fell.

“Ah—!”

Zhou Hai grabbed his collar at once and shoved him back onto the ladder.

“Hold on. Grab the safety lock on my waist.”

Xiao Liang followed instructions. One arm hooked around the ladder while the other tightly gripped the safety lock around Zhou Hai’s waist.

Zhou Hai stepped onto the ladder with one leg, bracing himself firmly so he could stand upright. Only then did he adjust his headlamp and reach toward the damaged brick gap beside the manhole.

A freshly severed woman’s hand was pulled out.

Xiao Liang shut his eyes tightly, clenching his teeth. His whole body trembled violently—this fear was not like anything experienced during autopsies.

A hand, when attached to a body, feels like a beautiful part of a human being. But cut off and hidden inside such a hollow space—it was enough to make anyone’s hair stand on end.

Zhou Hai didn’t stop. He continued searching inside.

Soon, all the limbs of victim C were recovered. Zhou Hai sealed the evidence bag and looked at the distance to Xu Biao below. Worried it might be contaminated if dropped, he didn’t throw it down.

Instead, he turned back and tied the bag’s rope around Xiao Liang’s waist. The sudden action made Xiao Liang freeze in panic.

Zhou Hai then quickly found the missing limbs of the other two victims. Victim B, Liu Wen, was relatively intact.

Victim A, Zhu Manli, had been dead much longer. Her limbs had mummified—darkened finger bones wrapped in dried skin, thin and shriveled like large dried chicken claws.

Sweat poured from Xiao Liang’s forehead. Carrying the weight of three victims’ remains tied to his body was unbearable.

At that moment, Xu Biao’s walkie-talkie crackled.

“Zhou, there’s nothing in the vehicle, but the rear door has a lock.”

“Have Fengzi collect fingerprints first, then break the lock open.”

“Dr. Luo already lifted some prints, but they’re incomplete. I’m breaking it now.”

A series of banging sounds followed, then hurried footsteps. Above them, the manhole cover was struck again.

The radio came back:

“Make way, we’re opening the manhole!”

“One—”

“Two—”

“Three—!”

Dust burst into the air. A beam of light poured in from above as Chu Menghan poked her head down, her face covered in black dust. She reached out her hand.

“You okay?! Hurry up and come up!”

The three of them climbed out one after another.

The first thing Xiao Liang did after stepping onto the ground was rip off the bags tied to his waist. Fengzi, confused, took them.

“What’s the rush? Like your butt’s on fire!”

Xiao Liang said nothing and ran straight out of the vehicle, collapsing on the roadside and tearing off his mask, gasping for air.

Zhou Hai came up next and examined the small vehicle. It looked like it had been used as a storage unit.

Xu Biao was the last one up, still completely confused.

“Zhou Hai, what exactly did you find? Why is Xiao Liang so scared? You tied things around him like sealing him up—he went stiff and pale! Hahaha!”

Before he could finish laughing, Zhou Hai handed the three bags from Fengzi to Xu Biao. Xu Biao opened them—and immediately screamed, throwing them back.

“Ah—!”

“Ah—!”

“You guys are monsters! Monsters!”

Fengzi shrugged innocently.

“You were the one who wanted to see.”

He picked up the bags and went back down. Chu Menghan was already impatient.

“These limbs were found down there?”

Zhou Hai nodded.

“Yes. In a brick cavity beside the manhole. We don’t know why the killer hid them there, but clearly this is a place they frequently use.”

“Fengzi, has Professor Nan replied?”

Fengzi handed over a tablet and opened an email.

“Professor Nan believes this symbol is a Locking Soul Curse.”

“It’s a nearly lost Taoist talisman from the Quanzhen sect in northern China. It’s said to bind the three souls so the dead cannot reincarnate or find peace—preventing vengeance. A highly malicious curse.”

“Any specific origin?”

“Shaanxi, Xianyang.”

Those four words made Zhou Hai’s eyes sharpen instantly. Xu Biao also rushed over.

“Zhou Hai, don’t tell me—it’s those two snack vendors you mentioned this morning?”

Chu Menghan leaned in as well.

“Two of the four overlapping regular customers of Victims A and B?”

Zhou Hai nodded firmly.

“Yes.”

“Do we know whose this vehicle is?”

An investigator pointed toward the pedestrian street.

“It belongs to those two snack sellers. They used it as a storage shed. Property management has asked them to remove it many times—they refused.”

Zhou Hai turned to Chu Menghan.

“Bring them in for identification. We already have DNA evidence. We’ll follow during the search warrant process.”

Chu Menghan immediately began arranging the operation.

Zhou Hai then looked at Xiao Liang, who had slightly recovered.

“You and Fengzi return to the center and send the evidence for testing.”

“Fengzi, re-test the marked areas on Victim C’s remains. Try multiple swabs—we’re gambling on luck.”

“And all fingernails from the limbs in those three bags must be sent for analysis. You and Xiao Liang handle the autopsy for Victim C, Wang Hong.”

“I’ll stay here with Xu Biao to examine the vehicle, then go to Changhe team for interrogation updates. After they send over suspect blood samples, make sure Sister Zeng prioritizes the comparison.”

Fengzi nodded quickly, clearly understanding the trust being placed in him.

He grabbed the equipment and evidence bags and left with Xiao Liang, whose face was still pale.

Zhou Hai and Xu Biao removed their masks and protective suits, washed their hands and faces by the roadside.

Xu Biao looked at him.

“You’re not staying just to wait for the search warrant. What are you looking for?”

Zhou Hai’s lips curved slightly—a rare smile.

“This seemingly abandoned vehicle won’t be here for no reason.”

“By the way… what was on the manhole cover just now? Why did they keep smashing it?”

“I don’t know. Let’s take a look.”

They walked toward the decayed vehicle.

It resembled a small mobile shack with wheels underneath—something that could be pushed by hand or towed.

Ten years ago, street vendors in the city often used these, but now they were nearly obsolete.

Zhou Hai stepped inside. The interior was spacious, filled with old coal stoves, rusty pots, and steaming baskets.

The walls were full of holes and rust, as if it could collapse at any moment.

Below the floor was a square door with a lock—already smashed open.

Squatting down, Zhou Hai examined it closely. The lock was covered in green rust, except for the keyhole, which was oddly intact.

The vehicle shook slightly as Xu Biao climbed in. He tried to crouch beside Zhou Hai—but accidentally hit something hard with his elbow.

“Damn! What the hell?! That hurt like hell!”