The Killer in the Rainy Night

The story takes place in the Jiangnan town of Runzhou in 1998.

Runzhou is a small city nestled among mountains and rivers, its scenery exquisite—a good place to live. Yet recently, the town has been shrouded in the shadow of a series of brutal murders, the atmosphere growing increasingly oppressive.

The victims were all young women, subjected to violation before death, their bodies discarded in remote corners, faces unrecognizable. Despite the police's tireless efforts, the murderer remained elusive, a ghostly figure who appeared only on rainy nights, then vanished without a trace.

Rumors of the "Rainy Night Killer" spread across town, the citizens gripped by fear, especially young women who dared not venture out after dark.

My name is Lu Ming, an ordinary detective, recently transferred to the Runzhou precinct. I arrived just as this thorny case erupted.

That night, drizzle began to fall again. My colleague Xiao Li and I patrolled the streets.

“Brother Lu, this Rainy Night Killer is getting out of hand. We’d better be careful,” Xiao Li said nervously.

“Don't scare yourself. If we stay alert, he won’t dare act,” I replied, feigning calm though anxiety gnawed at me.

Suddenly, urgent cries for help shattered the night’s silence.

“Help! Murder!”

The voice came from a narrow alley ahead. Xiao Li and I rushed over.

A girl in a red dress was curled up in a corner, trembling, her face stricken with terror.

“Don’t be afraid. We’re police. Tell us what happened,” I comforted her.

She pointed deeper into the alley, stammering, “There was… someone… trying to kill me…”

We chased in the direction she indicated, but found no one even after running a long distance.

“Brother Lu, let’s not chase any further. It’s pitch dark—if we fall into the killer’s trap, we'll be in trouble,” Xiao Li said, his courage faltering.

“No, we can’t let any clues slip by,” I said, gritting my teeth and moving forward.

After a while, we reached an abandoned construction site. Wild grass grew everywhere, silence prevailed, broken only by the sound of raindrops striking leaves.

“Look, there’s someone over there!” Xiao Li suddenly shouted, pointing ahead.

I followed his gesture and saw a blurry figure moving.

“Stop! Don’t run!” We shouted, giving chase.

The figure ran faster upon hearing our voices. We were soon out of breath and nearly caught up when, all at once, the figure jumped into a deep pit nearby.

We hurried to the edge, shining our flashlight. The figure was curled up at the bottom, soaking wet and shivering.

“Now you can’t escape!” Xiao Li said triumphantly, preparing to climb down.

“Wait!” I stopped him. “Look at his clothes—does he look like the killer?”

I scrutinized the person in the pit: he wore shabby work clothes, filthy all over, nothing like the murderer.

“So why did he run?” Xiao Li asked, puzzled.

“Maybe he was frightened by us, thinking we were out to arrest him,” I guessed.

---

“What should we do now?” Xiao Li asked.

“Let’s pull him up first,” I said, fetching a rope. Together, we hauled the man out.

He kept his head down, unable to meet our gaze.

“What’s your name? Why are you here?” I asked sharply.

“I... I’m Wang Dali, a worker at the site. I worked late tonight, tried to take a shortcut home, didn't expect to run into you...” he stammered.

“Did you see any suspicious people?” I pressed.

“No… no…” Wang Dali shook his head.

He didn’t seem to be lying, so we let him go.

“Brother Lu, we chased for nothing,” Xiao Li said, disappointed.

“Not necessarily. At least we ruled out a suspect,” I reassured him.

We returned to the alley where the girl was, questioning her further.

She said her name was Lin Xiaoyu. After work, she was heading home through the alley, when a shadow suddenly attacked her from behind. She struggled and screamed, frightening the assailant into fleeing.

“Did you see his face?” I asked.

“No, he wore a hat and mask. I couldn’t see his face,” Lin Xiaoyu replied.

“Did you hear his voice?” I continued.

“His voice was very low, almost… like a ghost howling…” Lin Xiaoyu shrank further, scared.

“A ghost’s howl?” Xiao Li and I exchanged bewildered looks.

We searched the area but found no valuable clues, so we returned to the precinct.

Back at the station, Captain Zhao was waiting.

“Well? Any progress?” he asked.

“We lost the suspect, but encountered a questionable worker—he’s been cleared,” I said.

“Worker? What sort?” Captain Zhao frowned.

“A laborer from the site. He said he worked late, tried to take a shortcut home, and jumped into a pit when we chased him,” Xiao Li explained.

“Let’s set him aside for now. Check Lin Xiaoyu’s statement for any missing details,” Captain Zhao handed us her transcript.

Xiao Li and I reviewed it carefully, finding nothing new.

“Captain, I think this case is different from previous ones,” I said suddenly.

“Oh? How so?” Captain Zhao asked.

“In earlier cases, the victims were dumped postmortem. But this time, the killer seemed intent on murdering Lin Xiaoyu at the scene, only to be scared off by her cries,” I analyzed.

---

“Hmm, you make a good point. The perpetrator may not be the same as before,” Captain Zhao nodded. “Still, we must not let our guard down—full effort in the investigation.”

“Yes!” Xiao Li and I responded in unison.

Over the next few days, Xiao Li and I checked several construction sites near the crime scenes, hoping to find Wang Dali for further questioning, but he was nowhere to be found.

Just as we were about to abandon this lead, an unexpected twist occurred. One morning, a male corpse was discovered at another remote site in Runzhou, the death brutal, preliminary findings indicating he was beaten to death. When we arrived, my heart tightened—the victim was Wang Dali, the worker we had previously encountered.

“How could this be?” Xiao Li exclaimed in shock. “Wasn’t he just an ordinary worker?”

I frowned, filled with questions. Why had Wang Dali died so suddenly? Was his death connected to the Rainy Night Killer? The questions whirled in my mind.

We quickly investigated Wang Dali’s relationships, finding no obvious enemies. He was diligent, well-liked by colleagues. Why had he become a victim?

During our inquiry, we uncovered a crucial detail: before his death, Wang Dali had mentioned to several coworkers that he had unwittingly witnessed a mysterious person’s movements—someone who always appeared on rainy nights, acting furtively. This clue heightened our vigilance. Could Wang Dali have been silenced for knowing too much?

To verify this, we decided to intensify our investigation of the surrounding construction sites, especially the area where Wang Dali had worked. This time, we searched meticulously, combing through every corner, every abandoned building.

After several nights of relentless effort, we finally discovered vital evidence in the corner of a deserted warehouse—a rain-soaked mask and several sets of clothes, stained with what appeared to be blood. Elated, we realized these likely belonged to the Rainy Night Killer.

We immediately sent the evidence for forensic analysis. Meanwhile, using Wang Dali’s description and the new clues, we mapped out the killer’s possible routes and hideouts.

As we waited for the results, Xiao Li and I visited Lin Xiaoyu again, hoping for more details about the “ghostly” voice—perhaps the key to cracking the case.

Lin Xiaoyu was visibly anxious upon learning our purpose, but under our patient reassurance, she recalled every detail of that night. She said the voice, though low, carried a peculiar tone, as if… mimicking something.

“Mimicking a voice?” Xiao Li and I exchanged a glance, realizing we hadn’t paid enough attention to this detail.

Just as we were about to leave, the forensic results arrived. The blood on the clothes matched the DNA of recent victims, confirming they belonged to the Rainy Night Killer. Fingerprints on the mask pointed to a suspect recently released from prison for assault: Li Qiang.

Li Qiang, a notorious thug in Runzhou, had spent years behind bars. After his release, he moved erratically, often appearing near crime scenes and associated with various construction sites. It was likely Wang Dali had inadvertently witnessed Li Qiang committing a crime and was killed to cover it up.

Finally, after a carefully planned operation, we apprehended Li Qiang. Faced with overwhelming evidence, he confessed to the murders and Wang Dali’s killing.

With the Rainy Night Killer caught, Runzhou returned to its former tranquility. As for me, Lu Ming, this harrowing case granted invaluable experience and reinforced my commitment to justice.

The resolution of the case was like the sun breaking through after a long storm. The residents, freed from fear, saw the streets regain their liveliness at night. For Xiao Li and me, it was not just a major test in our careers, but a profound lesson in the battle between good and evil.

At the celebration, Captain Zhao patted my shoulder, his eyes filled with approval: “Lu Ming, you did splendidly! You not only rescued Runzhou from disaster but also brought honor to our precinct.”

I smiled modestly, knowing the credit belonged to every colleague involved, and especially to the innocent victims. Though we could not restore their lives, we had brought the truth to light and upheld justice.

After the case, I attended Wang Dali’s funeral, expressing my deepest condolences to his family. Wang Dali, an ordinary worker, became a casualty of evil through a moment of courage and righteousness. His story reminds me that the path of justice is paved with silent sacrifices.

Lin Xiaoyu, the survivor from that rainy night, thanked us with heartfelt gratitude. She told me the ordeal left her with lasting trauma, but the presence of steadfast, justice-driven police gave her courage to face life anew.

Back at the precinct, I documented the experience—not only as a case review, but also as a personal admonition. I know well that as police officers, safeguarding peace and upholding justice is both our duty and our eternal mission.

As the years pass, Runzhou’s story continues. And I, Lu Ming, with the strength and conviction gained from this case, will press onward along this uncertain, challenging path—protecting every life beneath this sky, ensuring the light of justice forever shines.