Anling City police station.
Not only Lin Chuan, but everyone who had been to Hengli Gym on the 21st was invited by the police for questioning to assist in the investigation, including Wang Zikai.
Lin Chuan was given priority over others, being the first to undergo police questioning.
Inside the inquiry room.
Lin Chuan looked around curiously at the room's setup.
It was vastly different from an interrogation room.
An interrogation room, also known as the "little black room," has no windows to let in light, in its center sits a tiger bench, and on the walls hang slogans like "Leniency for those who confess, severity for those who resist," all contributing to an oppressive and enclosed atmosphere.
But here.
Lin Chuan sat in a leather chair, the wall bore the slogan "Police and public cooperation, building a safe home together," the morning breeze wafted through the window bringing with it sunlight, and gave a relatively relaxed feeling.
Whew--
At least it's not the little black room.
The main inquirer, Shen Qianqian.
Two other police officers stood beside her.
Going through the routine information recording, Shen Qianqian did so deftly, she even remembered Lin Chuan's ID number, and then got straight to the point.
"Have you seen this woman before?"
Shen Qianqian passed the life photo of the deceased, Zhao Lian, to Lin Chuan.
Lin Chuan looked carefully and nodded, "I've seen her at Hengli Gym, she asked me for V, I didn't give it to her."
Shen Qianqian looked up at Lin Chuan with a slight frown, "Approximately when would this have been?"
"The afternoon before yesterday, I don't remember the exact time," Lin Chuan replied.
Shen Qianqian then asked, "Besides that, did you meet her again on the evening of the 21st?"
"No, I was communicating with my editor about the new book that night. The chat records are available, the IP address can be checked," Lin Chuan shook his head and added, "By the way, Zhang downstairs also saw me."
In the meantime.
He had gone downstairs to buy a bottle of water and happened to run into Zhang immersed in a sea of videos.
The website's address seemed to have changed, something Lin Chuan had not seen before.
Shen Qianqian nodded, "On the afternoon of the 21st at Hengli Gym, did you notice anyone suspicious around her?"
"I didn't pay attention," Lin Chuan shook his head again, shifting in his seat, "I've only met her once, what crime is she suspected of committing?"
"She's dead," Shen Qianqian said.
Lin Chuan looked stunned.
So she was the victim in Anling City's third murder case.
But Lin Chuan had seen on 'Local News' just yesterday, wasn't the victim found at Hengli Company?
That's the building two floors above the gym.
"She was found on the fourth floor, it has nothing to do with the gym on the second floor," Lin Chuan couldn't help asking, "How did you come to suspect me?"
Shen Qianqian pondered for a moment, exchanged glances with the two officers beside her, and then said, "We found her blood DNA and your fingerprints on the dumbbell in the gym."
Lin Chuan's pupils constricted.
As a professional assassin, he quickly grasped the critical information.
Hengli Company on the fourth floor, the gym on the second floor, blood DNA, dumbbell, my fingerprints…
With his experience from an assassin's professional life, it took him only a moment to understand the twists and turns.
The murderer had fabricated the murder scene and had even gone to the trouble of framing him in particular.
Only…
"This method is too clumsy," Lin Chuan couldn't help but comment.
Shen Qianqian's eyes, bloodshot, couldn't help but narrow, "Lin Chuan, it seems you have a different opinion?"
Cough.
Lin Chuan coughed lightly, his face bitter, "I was just talking off the cuff, I only met her by chance, I had no motive to kill her."
Shen Qianqian looked steadily at Lin Chuan, "I know you don't have a motive for committing the crime, and you have an alibi. What I want to ask is about the 'poor technique' you mentioned just now. What does that mean?"
"This..." Lin Chuan didn't know whether he should speak or not.
Shen Qianqian pointed at the slogan inside the interrogation room with her pen, "Cooperation between police and citizens builds a safe and peaceful home," and said:
"I've read part of your new novel 'This Assassin Is Too Professional'. Finding the first crime scene at the gym was also inspired by your book. Don't hold back and use your 'professionalism' to explain the poor technique you just mentioned. On behalf of Anling Police, I would like to express my gratitude."
Lin Chuan shifted in his seat and muttered, "Is there any tangible appreciation?"
Unexpectedly, Shen Qianqian heard it loud and clear and laughed, "I've already subscribed to your entire new book."
Subscribed to the entire book!
Lin Chuan's eyes brightened, and a radiant smile spread across his face.
For a writer, every subscriber is like their sustenance provider.
A complete subscription is undoubtedly the most significant support.
Putting aside the relationship between the police and citizens, Lin Chuan would be more than happy to help a true fan who has subscribed to his whole series with a small favor.
Last time, Lin Chuan even went to help a reader catch a cheater.
But let's get back to the case at hand.
Lin Chuan became serious, "Whether I have a complete subscription or not doesn't matter. It is my duty to maintain social order and cooperate with the work of the police officers!"
"Your awareness is quite high," Shen Qianqian said with a smile, as she tidied up the hair on her forehead, "Let's get back to the case. How exactly was the killer's technique poor?"
Lin Chuan pondered for a moment: "Based on my experience..."
"Hmm?"
Inside the interrogation room, it was as if a sudden gust of cold wind had blown through.
Shen Qianqian and the other two police officers simultaneously looked up at Lin Chuan, their eyes filled with curiosity and astonishment.
Based on your experience?
What experience?
Lin Chuan tugged at the corner of his mouth and hurriedly explained: "I mean, based on my experience of plotting novel scenarios, this would be considered a technique to 'confuse and mislead', but it's very clumsy."
Shen Qianqian moved her pen and began to record.
The two officers beside her frowned slightly.
Can plotting scenarios for novels really be equated with real-life murder cases?
Lin Chuan continued, "If the gym is the primary crime scene, then he merely moved the body to the fourth floor to stage another scene. However, if he didn't treat the gym specially and left blood DNA behind, that's a significant oversight."
Shen Qianqian and the two officers exchanged glances, their brows furrowing slightly.
Lin Chuan exhaled, "There is a key point of doubt here."
"What doubt?"
Curiosity was thick in Shen Qianqian's expression.
"What was the purpose of the killer staging the crime scene?" Lin Chuan countered.
Shen Qianqian thought for a moment: "To erase as much of the original evidence of the crime as possible, misleading the police investigation, and clearing his own suspicion."
"That's exactly it."
Lin Chuan nodded, "Typically, if someone stages a crime scene, they would clean the original scene to prevent investigative officers from discovering it."
"Right," nodded Shen Qianqian.
"If he managed to stage the crime scene, it indicates that he might have premeditated it for a long time. But if the gym is the first scene, why didn't he treat it specially?" Lin Chuan analyzed.
Hiss!
Shen Qianqian took a deep breath.
Now.
The Criminal Investigation Team was focusing their investigation around the Hengli Gym.
But Lin Chuan's question suddenly plunged the three officers present into doubt.
Why didn't he treat the gym specially, leaving behind the victim's blood DNA and even the murder weapon?
Shen Qianqian looked at Lin Chuan in astonishment.
Lin Chuan's analysis was logical and structured, not resembling a novelist at all, but rather a seasoned criminal detective, or even a forensic expert with a wealth of experience!