Chapter 1444 - Interrogation at the Sentry Post
Mu Min took the document. The identified stomach contents included dairy products, mutton, bananas, nougat, mangoes... and traces of alcohol.
Though Mu Min didn't know the Maid School's weekly menu, she knew perfectly well that several items on this list were "special supply foods" reserved for Elders. Naturalized citizens and indigenous people in Lingao could purchase them from cooperative stores if they were willing to pay—but a student in the Maid School, living on a meager allowance, could never afford such things.
"So Lin Xiaoya's last meal was eaten in the company of an Elder."
"Bingo!" Su Wan unconsciously blurted out one of Cheng Yongxin's catchphrases, prompting a surprised glance from Mu Min.
"Most Elders eat quite simply on regular days—nothing particularly lavish. But look at this list: rich variety, high-end foods, even alcohol. It reads rather like a sumptuous feast before a deflowering night."
Mu Min now fully understood Su Wan's earlier hesitation and why she had prepared two autopsy reports. Even without knowing anything about the current investigation materials, the forensic evidence alone made clear that an Elder was implicated.
Since the matter involved an Elder, her cautious approach was perfectly understandable.
"Can you give me your second report?"
"Of course—if you want it. I can sign it and hand it over immediately. But before that, I want to hear your investigation findings. Today is September 12th, more than ten days since the incident. I've always wanted to know who exactly killed this poor girl and why. You're only coming to question my autopsy report now—probably because you already have a plan in mind."
"Since you're being so cautious, even preparing two reports, why the sudden interest in the truth?"
"As you said yourself: determining the truth is what matters most." Su Wan smiled strangely.
"Alright." Mu Min nodded. "I wasn't at the scene on the day the body was found. I only received orders to return to Lingao that night—"
On September 1st, all senior Elder police officers were conducting police administration research across various locations, laying groundwork for the next expansion of the police system. After receiving the Executive Committee's call, Police Chief Ran Yao immediately assigned Mu Min—who was doing research in Qiongshan—to rush back to Lingao and take charge of this case.
Mu Min returned overnight and studied the on-site investigation file. The documentation was woefully thin. Though her protégé Wu Xiang had conducted the initial investigation, she knew exactly how limited his capabilities still were.
Moreover, as a naturalized police officer, there were too many obstacles when investigating a case like this. Certain necessary procedures hadn't been followed. Mu Min decided: no delay—she would re-examine the scene at first light.
But she had been traveling for police administration research in Chengmai and Qiongshan, away from Lingao for over half a month. Returning now only to immediately receive a new assignment, it seemed the case wouldn't close for at least a week. Best to notify her husband first.
She picked up her Little Smart phone and dialed Ming Lang's number.
After the call, she took a brief nap. At dawn, she requisitioned an official carriage and set out for the Elder residential area in Bairen City.
The road leading to the compound was shaded by green trees, the surface paved unusually smooth. The carriage glided along with barely a bump. Dense woods lined both sides—tall and short trees forming a thick hedge that completely blocked any view from outside.
Mu Min knew the wooded buffer extended two hundred meters on either side of the road, and these woods were strictly guarded. No "unrelated personnel" were permitted entry.
The carriage arrived at the entrance. A red-and-white barrier blocked the road. A guard approached, wearing an army uniform and corporal's rank, a five-shot shotgun slung over his shoulder. A second guard stood nearby, two revolvers crossed on his belt, hand resting near the grip. A black police dog—supplementary force for the pair—lounged lazily to one side.
The guard didn't recognize her. As a member of the powerful organs, she rarely went home—naturally, she didn't remember the guards' faces either. Besides, the sentries here were dispatched by the Lingao Garrison Battalion, subordinate only to the Army, not to any existing powerful organ in Lingao.
He held a loose-leaf binder. Mu Min handed over her identification and the authorization document from the Arbitration Tribunal. The guard studied them carefully for a long moment, compared them to her face, then saluted and returned them.
"Thank you, Chief!"
Mu Min took the documents, stepped out of the carriage, and surveyed the area.
"What is the standard inspection procedure here?"
"Every vehicle and every person must be checked. Identification is verified. If the person is a naturalized citizen, their special dormitory-area pass must also be checked. If carrying items, those are inspected as well."
"Vehicles are checked?"
"Personal vehicles of Elders and life secretaries are not checked unless there is an order from the General Affairs Office. All other vehicles are inspected."
"Tell me: what procedures and documents do naturalized citizens need to enter and exit? Which naturalized citizens are permitted?"
"Yes, Chief!" The guard dared not neglect—the visitor was not only an Elder but a senior National Police officer. Yesterday a murder case had occurred here, a major security incident. This female Chief in black uniform surely had to be connected to it.
"There are four categories of naturalized citizens who may enter. First: Elders' life secretaries—they enter freely with their work identification. Second: long-term service personnel of the residential area, including guards, secretaries, washerwomen, cleaners, gardeners, and so on. They hold special passes issued by the General Affairs Office and enter during assigned time slots; entry outside those slots is prohibited. Third: temporary guests of Elders, who receive short-term passes issued by the Elders themselves, generally valid for no more than twenty-four hours. Such guests must be accompanied by the Elder personally or by the Elder's life secretary—one to two persons per entry, maximum three. Fourth: temporary entry personnel, including General Affairs Office messengers, delivery workers, coachmen, and the like. They enter with their own identification plus a one-day dispatch pass, valid only for the day of issue."
Mu Min thought to herself that the system was quite rigorous.
"Do you keep entry and exit records?"
"Yes."
"Bring me the register. I want to see whether a girl named Lin Xiaoya entered the dormitory area on August 31st."
The guard returned to the sentry box and emerged shortly with a thick register.
"Yes—there was indeed a Lin Xiaoya who entered on August 31st. She used an Elder's temporary guest pass." He flipped to the relevant page and pointed to an entry. "Entry at 16:20."
"Were you on duty then?"
"Yes. I was on the day shift—6 AM to 6 PM."
"Whose guest was Lin Xiaoya?"
"The pass was issued by Elder Yang Xinwu." The guard turned, went inside, and returned with a card—an Elder's temporary guest pass. The pass bore no photograph; registration was fingerprint-based. It recorded the temporary guest's name, age, occupation, physical characteristics, and validity period. At the bottom was the Elder's name seal—the standard seal carved uniformly by the General Affairs Office. Unmistakable.
"Did Elder Yang bring her in personally?"
"No—it was Chief Yang's secretary Yang Jihong who escorted her. Look, here's the accompanying person's signature." He pointed to the registration column, where the name was scrawled in the appropriate field.
Mu Min nodded.
"When did Lin Xiaoya leave?"
"At 22:10 that night."
"How was the original record written?"
"Here." The guard pointed. "Still sent off by Elder Yang's life secretary. Departed by carriage from here."
"Did you see her leave?"
"I was off duty. My shift ended at 18:00."
"Aren't outgoing vehicles checked?"
"Vehicles of Elders and life secretaries are not checked upon entry or exit."
"Are there records of Elder Yang and his life secretary entering and exiting recently?"
"No. We only record Chief and life secretary movements during the night curfew period. At other times, we don't log entries and exits."
"What are the curfew hours?"
"From June to September: 5 AM to 7 PM. Other months: 6 AM to 6 PM."
"I understand." Mu Min said. "I need to confiscate the register and this pass as physical evidence."
"Certainly—but you must issue a receipt from the Arbitration Tribunal. Otherwise, I cannot hand them over to anyone."
"No problem. Little Wu!"
Wu Xiang jumped down from the carriage to handle the evidence seizure procedures.
A burst of birdsong startled Mu Min. She looked past the guard and glimpsed an artificial lake hidden in the shade of trees. A flock of waterfowl foraged on the surface, calling from time to time. Two small boats were moored at the pier.
"What's the security situation along the lakeshore? Is anyone stationed there?"
The guard nodded. "Patrol boats circle the lake once every hour. And there are watchtowers by the water."
Armed guards, patrol teams, police dogs—it would be extremely difficult for an outsider to infiltrate, commit murder, and escape calmly. The breakthrough obviously lay with this Elder Yang she had never heard of.
She took out a business card and handed it to the corporal. "Come to the address on this card tomorrow to give a formal statement. Understood? Also, the sentry who worked the night shift—what's his name?"
The corporal gave the name, looking somewhat fearful. "Chief, we executed completely according to regulations..."
"Don't worry—explain clearly and there won't be any problem." Mu Min reassured him.
"Yes, Chief."
Wu Xiang completed the evidence paperwork. Mu Min climbed back into the carriage and entered the residential area.