Chapter 37: The Hammer Fiend Case (Part VI)

October 18th. Xidi Village, located in the northern outskirts of Xiping County, was a place that felt like a sanctuary away from the world—secluded from the hustle and bustle, blessed with beautiful scenery, and defined by a peaceful, harmonious life.

On a mundane afternoon, a short, unfamiliar man wandered aimlessly through the village, seemingly scouting for a target. Finally, as he reached a small shop at the west end of the village, his eyes lit up.

"This is the one!" His heart pounded with excitement as he locked onto his target, deciding to strike that very night.

The shopkeepers were an elderly couple. Their house faced east, with a peanut field to the west and a major north-south road right in front of the door. There was a thatched shed in the northwest corner and bricks scattered on the ground to the east. He chose this shop because it was easy to target and offered an easy escape route after the crime.

In the dead of night, the entire village was fast asleep. These kind-hearted people could never have imagined that a demon had broken into their village.

Equipped with gloves and a flashlight, the short man crept toward the shop under the cover of darkness. From a distance, he saw the old man sleeping outside the shop. Despite the loud snoring, he dared not break into the house, fearing he might wake the old man and hinder his escape.

He found a wooden board and began to dig through the wall. He started at the northwest corner, where the bricks were easy to pry loose, but he was blocked by something inside. He moved to the southwest corner and quickly dug another hole.

Crawling inside, he saw the old woman’s bed placed against the southeast corner, without a mosquito net. Seeing her sleeping soundly, he bludgeoned her to death with a hammer and smothered her face with a quilt. Thus, the innocent old woman became a wronged soul in her sleep.

Subsequently, he used the hammer to kill the old man outside. After only two or three blows, the old man stopped moving. After finding 1,000 yuan in a drawer, the man left, feeling satisfied.

This day marked the beginning of his bloody killing spree and the start of his path to destruction. Yet, the thrill of murder had become an addiction; he had opened Pandora’s box and would never be able to stop.

***

In the municipal bureau conference room, the beam of the projector cut a silver line through the smoke-filled air. Lei Chen stood before the whiteboard, his laser pointer dancing over a dense web of clues. The red dot jumped between photographs, looking chillingly like blood spatters from a crime scene.

"These are photos from the Xidi Village crime scene," his voice rang out clearly in the silent room. "An elderly couple, both killed by blunt force trauma to the head."

He pulled up another set of photos, the mottled bloodstains causing the gathered detectives to hold their breath.

"At the Guanwang Temple Township scene, the three victims were also killed by blunt force trauma to the head." Lei Chen’s laser pointer rested on a close-up of Victim B’s fingers. "We discovered over ten hairs here, and three pubic hairs were recovered from the bed mat. Testing confirmed the suspect has Type B blood."

"These are the crime scene photos from Li Xiaozhuang," Lei Chen continued. "It had been raining for two days straight; the roads were muddy, and the villagers hadn't left their homes, retiring early that night."

His voice dropped to a somber tone. "The killer took advantage of the rainy weather to enter the victims' home, killing the old woman with a blunt object. He then used rope to strangle and kill the young girl and the young boy. After the girl had died, he also sexually assaulted her."

Li Rui leaned back in his chair, his fingertips tapping the desk rhythmically. His gaze fixed on a photo on the whiteboard—a little girl in a red dress, smiling with innocence. That splash of red stung his eyes, reminding him of the small, cold body on the autopsy table.

Gasps echoed through the room; everyone seemed to be suffocating.

"We extracted semen from the young girl’s body, confirming it matches the biological evidence from the Guanwang Temple scene," Lei Chen stated heavily.

Wen Rou gripped her pen so tightly her knuckles turned white. Every time she closed her eyes, she heard the little girl crying out for help.

"Furthermore, there were signs of rummaging at all three crime scenes," Lei Chen said, moving his pointer between the photos. "After confirming with the families, we found that anywhere from several hundred to several thousand yuan was stolen. We can confirm these were home invasion robbery-murders."

He turned to the others, his expression grave. "Although the villagers reported the crimes immediately upon discovery, the killer had already slipped away to parts unknown, making apprehension difficult."

"Has the murder weapon been identified?" Han Junshan asked.

Lei Chen nodded. "According to Forensic Pathologist Li, the weapon is an eight-sided hammer, commonly used in quarries for breaking stones."

"Have the nearby quarries been checked?"

"We prioritized the nearby quarries, but found no suspicious individuals," Lei Chen replied.

"The killer targets elderly couples and young women," Han Junshan said, stubbing out his cigarette. "That implies he isn't particularly daring. Is it possible to approach this through his motives?"

The room fell into a deathly silence, save for the hum of the air conditioner.

Li Rui suddenly straightened up, his chair scraping harshly against the floor. "Wait, you’ve overlooked one thing. The killer has a specific fetish: he loves to bludgeon his victims to death with a hammer."

"You mean..." Wen Rou narrowed her eyes, her slender fingers unconsciously rubbing her chin.

"This is a classic case of antisocial personality disorder," Li Rui said, his voice laced with suppressed anger as he tapped his temple. "There is definitely something wrong in here; he must have suffered some form of psychological trauma."

Han Junshan slammed the table, splashing water from his teacup. "So this guy is a psychopath?"

"No," Wen Rou and Li Rui said in unison.

They exchanged a glance, and Wen Rou continued, "It’s a psychological issue, but not a clinical mental illness."

Li Rui stood up and walked to the whiteboard. His shadow fell over the bloody photos like a silent tombstone.

"This person’s experiences must be extraordinary," his finger traced the photo of the little girl. "Judging by his twisted psychology, he has likely suffered long-term 'unfair' treatment, leading to an urge to retaliate against society."

Lei Chen followed Li Rui's line of thought. "This type of person is likely a repeat offender. He may have served time, but wasn't rehabilitated. Upon release, he returned to crime, escalating his violence!"

Han Junshan pondered for a moment before making a decision. "Based on the evidence, the three murders in Xiping and Huixian point to the same perpetrator. I authorize the consolidation of these cases."

He scanned everyone in the room. "From this moment on, a special task force will lead the '10·18 Serial Murder Investigation Headquarters' to solve these crimes."

Everyone stood up in unison. "Yes, sir!"

"Now, in the name of the headquarters, issue orders to all county and district branches," Han Junshan’s voice was resolute. "Demand that they expand the search range, focusing on ex-convicts with criminal records. Screen all suspects carefully. If you cannot find the individual, collect blood samples from their parents for comparison with evidence from the scene."

"Director Han, should we issue a wanted poster?" Lei Chen asked with a hint of hesitation.

Han Junshan thought for a moment and nodded. "Issue it. We need to beat the grass to scare the snake."

"What if he gets spooked and goes into hiding?" Lei Chen asked, his brow furrowed with concern.

Li Rui replied, "He won't. This type of person has a broken psyche and a twisted inner world. Murder has become a necessity for him; he won't be able to hide."

His gaze landed on the little girl's photo, his voice filled with suppressed rage. "He’s addicted."

"But..."

"Enough. That is decided. Time is of the essence. Everyone to your posts, move out immediately!" Han Junshan commanded. "Report to me at the first sign of anything. I will be directing operations from the Zhengzhou Municipal Bureau."

"Yes!" The unified response echoed through the conference room.

As Wen Rou packed her documents, she noticed Li Rui still standing at the whiteboard, staring at the photo of the little girl. His silhouette looked exceptionally lonely under the harsh, pale light.

"Li Rui," she called out softly, "we will catch him."

Li Rui did not turn around, only murmuring an "Mm." His fingers gently brushed the little girl's smiling face in the photo, as if he could soothe the pain she suffered in her final moments.