Case Files 013

Chapter 139: Saved

Lee Danan's sudden appearance did spook me. When his bone knocked against the shelf, it was not the sound of flesh against metal but metal against metal. All of a sudden, Lee Danan raised his arm to hit me so I naturally raised mine in defense. But when the Gu Duo hit my arm, I realized it was not bones under his flesh but firm metal.

The pain caused my face to wince, and my arm to numb. Lee Danan grabbed the nearby rope and tied me to the shelf. Then Lee Danan walked towards the stove. As he started the fire, he said nonchalantly, "Today's weather sure is cold."

Seeing how expertly Lee Danan maneuvered all these, I couldn't believe a person without hands could have such dexterity. I also didn't imagine that Lee Danan's arms didn't have bone but something else inside them. Sometimes, a person's appearance couldn't be relied on to tell their hearts and I had paid dearly for that mistake.

I turned to ask Lee Danan. "You're the killer?"

Without looking at me, he answered, "Yes. I am." But at that moment, I still couldn't believe Lee Danan was the killer. There were too many suspicions and Lee Danan as the killer couldn't solve them. However, my conviction was shaken when I saw how serene Lee Danan was. After all, to be able to act so cruelly against the victim, the killer had to be insanely calm or perfectly insane. And Lee Danan was clearly the former.

He started the fire slowly, he didn't look like he was going to kill me, or at least he didn't plan to for now. In such horrible weather, no one would be using the highway. In other words, Lee Danan had at least 3 hours to torture me. I said, "Even though you've admitted it, I still can't believe that you're the killer."

Lee Danan smiled, not the usual bashful smile that we were used to but a calculative smile. He commented, "Officer, there is a lesson that you need to learn. In this world, not everything you see is the truth." The statement felt familiar to my ears and then I realized the village head had told me something similar.

Lee Danan continued, "You assume that I can't kill because I am handicapped, which is why I hate people like you the most. Why can't the handicapped kill? Look at yourself, you've been strung up like a chicken, and I'm going to be your butcher." Lee Danan had a point and I pressed, "Since I'm going to die, then let me die with the full knowledge. Why did you kill Luo Sumei and why dismember her body?"

By then the fire was already burning. The coal stove warmed up the room. Lee Danan reached his arms towards the flame for warmth and then he turned to answer, "Because like you, Luo Sumei always looked at me like I'm some kind of pitiable creature." Lee Danan slammed his Gu Duo on the table until the wooden counter splintered. He hissed through his teeth, "Luo Sumei always regarded me with cheap pity, but in reality, her heart is darker than all of us. She planned to use pity to make me fall in love with her." Lee Danan spat on the ground. "Me, fall in love with her? I was only toying with her. For fun, I told her that I would give her 500000 RMB and the dumb bitch believed me."

Lee Danan looked at me and slandered Luo Sumei. But in my ears, they only sounded laughable. Lee Danan wasn't done, "And that Chief Zhou is even more disgusting! He knew that we're handicapped so he came to First Drain Village to help us! Motherfucker, who needed his help? Do we need his pity? That's also one of the reasons I killed Luo Sumei! This Chief Zhou looks kind on the surface, but his heart must be dirty too!"

I said lightly, "Okay, Lee Danan, since you're the killer, I hope you can answer me a few questions."

Lee Danan frowned, and then shrugged. "You sure have a lot of questions for someone who is about to die."

I used the corner of the shelf to scratch the itch on my back. "Well, I can't ask any more questions after I die, can I? Since you said you killed Luo Sumei, then let me ask you, how did she die?"

Lee Danan answered swiftly, "From blood loss of course, haven't you read the newspaper article yourself? Sometimes, I think such is life. You have to see that article when you went to the toilet. When you left, I knew it was about time for me to make my move."

"Where are the others?" I asked with a smile.

"You should care more about yourself." Lee Danan didn't exactly answer my question. I nodded and then continued, "Okay, when was the last time you saw Luo Sumei?"

Lee Danan answered, "I was the first one to discover the body, what can't you understand about that? I killed the woman, I dumped her body and I called the police. No one is more familiar than I am regarding Luo Sumei's time of death. Fine, she had her last breath at 2.24 pm 4 days ago, is that specific enough for you?"

I sunk into contemplative silence. From how he answered these few questions, Lee Danan was confident, and his argument covered all bases. He had the motive, the time to kill and all the evidence could match but I still didn't think Lee Danan was the killer. "Okay, I only have one last question," I stared at Lee Danan.

Lee Danan stopped feeding the fire, stood up and walked towards me. "Shoot."

"Do you have a car?" I smiled and asked.

"A car?" Lee Danan frowned, "Why would you ask me that?" With that, the answer cleared in my mind. I explained, "Lee Danan, you are not the killer, so why are you pretending to be one? Don't think just because I'm at the village, I can't find out what Luo Sumei was doing before she died. Most of the villagers here are handicapped so there is not a single vehicle at the village. So tell me" I continued with a lilting tone, "How can a person without arms manage to get a driver's license? Where did you park the car? What was Luo Sumei up to before she got into your car?"

With each of my questions, Lee Danan frowned deeper. From his expressions, I knew he couldn't answer these questions. The fact that Lee Danan didn't have hands was the main point against the possibility of him being the killer. There were just some troubles that his handicap couldn't overcome. However, while this answered one question, it led to many others. Lee Danan was clearly not the person who asked Luo Sumei out and he was not her killer, so why would he take on the blame for the real killer? From Lee Danan's personality, I figured this man wouldn't have that many close friends, so if that was the case, who could be the real killer?

Lee Danan didn't answer, but instead warned, "Why do you insist on treating me through your prejudice? Why can't a handicapped person drive? Why do you have to think that way? I hope when you're down there, you would have overcome that prejudice." Lee Danan's Gu Duos picked up the burning poker from the coal stove. "Look how pretty this is." Lee Danan pointed the heated end at me. "A poke through your throat with this and you'll leave this world forever. You won't have any questions then."

"You will kill me?" I knew Lee Danan wouldn't really kill me, he was just trying to scare me. Lee Danan looked at me with viciousness. "Of course, why would you think I won't kill you? If not to finish you off, I would have escaped a long time. Those idiots have all been lured by me down the highway. And if you didn't see that newspaper article, I wouldn't be exposed."

I shrugged as the poker approached. "If you say so. Just do it quickly, I'm afraid of pain." But at that moment, the convenience store door was pushed open. A thunderous voice boomed, "Down!" That was Ol' Xia.

Lee Danan was startled by the voice and the poker fell to the ground. It almost hit my feet and that was the thing that gave me true fright. Er Xiao rushed in and when he saw us, he said, "Lee Danan, I was wondering how you disappeared from our sight, so you were hiding here all along? If not for Ol' Xia and my astuteness to come back here to check, you would have gotten away."

Lee Danan got over his initial shock and bent down to pick up the fire poker. But then Ol' Xia already ran over. Before Lee Danan could pick up the poker, Ol' Xia stepped on it. Then Ol' Xia swung his body around and gave Lee Danan a slap on his face. The force was so powerful that it sent Lee Danan flying and he knocked over the row of shelves.

Er Xiao ran over to help loosen my binding while Ol' Xia detained Lee Danan with his arm.

As Er Xiao removed the knot, he told Lee Danan, "Lee Danan, I always thought you were an honest man but it looks like we have all underestimated you. You've hidden your true nature so well!"