Investigations are troublesome tasks that require patience and a full stomach.
After relentless searching from top to bottom around the house even going so far as to crawl around the bathroom floor.
A clue was finally discovered by one of the group members as Rong Cheng's excited voice rang out in one of the inner chambers.
"Here! I found something here!"
Gathering at once into the room where the young man's voice rang out from.
Numerous sights landed on the round protruding bottom of a certain youth who's trying to escape from the confines below the bed.
"Achoo!"
Brushing away the dust from his hair and clothes, Rong Cheng beamed a smile at the other members before showing them what he found.
"Take a look at this!"
Displayed on the youth's hand is a small doll the size of an adult male's palm.
This small item would have been a normal decoration in a young woman's room on regular occasions. The reason it was found under the bed might be due to a moment of carelessness from its owner.
However, the large design sewn on the body of the doll with red threads of the name Xu Qianqian says otherwise.
Similar to the two dolls found at the office, this one bears the name of a person that was confirmed deceased not too long ago.
There are no expressions sewn on the plain doll that's only made with white cloth in the shape of a miniature human. Merely an embroidered name and large opening on the back of the head where a large amount of red strips of cloth spills out.
Just like the condition of the young woman that was found some time ago.
"I don't get it. Did someone have a grudge against Xu Qianqian?" It was Rong Cheng that asked this question.
This is surely a plausible reasoning. Afterall, who would curse someone just because of a light conflict?
"Maybe. Didn't we work out a hypothesis regarding the affair Xu Qianqian's boyfriend was having? Perhaps he killed her with a curse to be with the other woman?" Man Tingshu surmised while trying to consider other possibilities.
"Come on! Isn't that too much? He could have just broken up with her instead of turning to murder." Rong Cheng disapproves with a furrow of the brow."
Curious fingers poke around the soft item while the youth added. "Plus this doll is really well made so I don't think he was the one who made this thing."
Caressing the strips of cloth in careful motions, slender digits flipped the fabric over to see a string of numbers written on one of them.
[5/10 13:45]
"... …"
Pondering for a few seconds, the young man raised his sights in an instant to inquire in a peculiar tone. "What was Xu Qianqian's birthday and time of birth again?"
Hands lifted at the same juncture to showcase the sudden find.
"...?"
Leaning in to see what the youth is trying to show him, Man Tingshu's sight widened for a split moment. Suppressing the horrifying thought that flashed in his mind the second his eyes landed on the string of numbers.
The stoic man pulled out his phone at once to check on the information that was sent to him. Reading out the details displayed on the screen in slow articulation.
"May 10th, 13:45 at White Flower Hospital…"
Silence fell within this empty house without the presence of its owner. But despite their absence, a telling impression of the past is still visible for others to see.
The small pot of plants basking in the sun under the sway of summer wind.
Faint clutter of unfinished snacks on the table and food delivery boxes piling within the trash can.
Dried clothes left inside the washing machine as well as small sticky notes stuck around the house filled with little reminders of everyday life…
"She was definitely killed by someone she knows."
This time, the voice which said this sentence is firm in comparison to the careless tone from before.
It's true that there are many ways to curse someone using simple things like a combination of hair, nails, or clothes.
These are items that can be obtained easily with some effort, birth date too perhaps if a stranger were to ask.
But the time of birth?
What kind of relationship can people have that reaches to the point where you even know of their time of birth?
It must be someone close, like a boyfriend for example…
"It's already confirmed that Xu Qianqian is the kind of person that likes to keep to herself. Other than having a lukewarm relationship with her colleagues. The only other person she spends the most time with is Xiao Ming, her fiance."
"But even then, she likes to spend time alone most of the days at home or at the cafe close by."
It's hard to imagine someone like her could garner enough hate to be killed.
"... …"
Just as everyone fell into another round of silent thinking. Faint squeaks like the chattering of small animals could be heard somewhere within the house.
Vague at first before becoming louder with slight tapping sounds.
Squeak. Squeak!
A furry white hamster with large round ears entered the chamber while pulling in an object about twice its size.
"Snowy!"
Squeak!
The white hamster released its hold on the object to run towards Rong Cheng's outstretched hand. Crawling all the way up to jump onto the very top of the youth's head in excitement.
Stopping at the peak, the small creature sniffed the air in curiosity while grasping onto a tuft of the young man's hair.
Squeak!
The creature seemed to have greeted with a faint nod of its head while observing these humans in the area.
"What is this mouse? Your pet?" Chu Nuan felt a strange whirl of energy coming from the small animal. Tilting her head at the furry creature the young woman stare into the red pupils of the intelligent animal.
Her own reflection is refracted within that sea of crimson as her irises are to the image of that white figure.
"This hamster is my friend!" Rong Cheng moved the little creature onto his palm in order for the young woman to see his friend more clearly.
"I found him eating from our rice container when I was ten."
"So you decided to raise him then?" The young lady inquired while maintaining eye contact with the creature.
"Yeah! Snowy is really good at finding things, especially things with strange energies." The young man said while showing a proud expression.
"Like this for example."
Xie Luochen entered the conversation while holding a small doll in hand.
Another curse doll.
However, unlike the one found inside this room. The doll in Xie Luochen's hand does not have an opening on the back of the head. Rather, on its featureless face are two large X's sewn in replacement of eyes.
Two long strips of crimson fabric descend from the X's where the eyes should have been. On the back of one of those strips are the numbers [5/10 13:45].
Rong Cheng: "Two dolls?!"
Man Tingshu: "This is serious." The second eldest of the group members exclaimed while taking out his phone. "Comparing the two writings on the fabric, there should be at least another person that had ill intentions towards Xu Qianqian."
Two different people that are close enough to the victim that they can enter and walk around the house without being suspicious.
Two differing suspects that came on different days without knowing each other's intentions.
No wait.
There could be another possibility.
The possibility that it is in fact two people working together. It doesn't have to be two separate people entering the house. It could also be one person hiding two dolls away when the owner of the house isn't looking.
"Hello? Can you have someone send me detailed information on Xu Qianqian's relationships? Just information on who Xu Qianqian met or came to visit her house weeks prior to her death. Yes, thank you."
Ending the call with a serious expression, Man Tingshu landed his gaze on the small creature on Rong Cheng's hand.
"Can you show us where you found this doll and whether or not there are any more in the area?"
Squeak!
It was as if the hamster could really understand what the man was asking him of as that small creature jumped onto the ground in an instant.
Calling out to the group first with a raise of its furry head, Snowy then scampered off while the group followed after.
Entering into the kitchen where everyone could tell at a glance with the accumulated dust on the counter. That this was an area not used frequently.
Squeak!
Snowy waited for the group to enter before scampering towards the area underneath the fridge.
Motioning with its pink claws and nose at the slim spacing between the furniture and floor.
That was where the doll was found.
Squeak!
Seeing that everyone's focus is still on him, the white hamster jumped up and down while pointing to the crack.
"Is there where you found it?" Rong Cheng asked just to make sure.
Squeak!
Snowy nodded in acknowledgment.
"Then are there others inside the house?"
The little creature shook its head in denial before running to scamper up the youth's legs. Reaching to lay down on the young man's soft hair with a sigh to show that there really isn't anything more.
"We need to talk with Xiao Ming and Su Ya again." Man Tingshu suggested, "it would be even better if we could talk to Xu Qianqian herself."
That is not possible yet however.
"I'll arrange for someone to invite the two of them over to the station for questioning."
Deciding on this course of action, the second eldest of the group was about to enter a new string of numbers into his phone. When the leisure voice of Chu Nuan echoed in the chamber with a bored yawn.
"No need."
In the next second before anyone could react to those words.
The floor at the center of the living room whirled with a twist of mysterious energy.
Startled by this phenomenon, everyone was about to pull their weapons out when the young woman waved them aside.
Striding out of the kitchen to stand near the edge of that swirling blackhole. Obsidian irises glowered into the darkness with an arrogant tilt of the head.
In the next moment, two large objects were spat out of the ground with a loud impact that followed with muffled cries.
A few breaths later, Blackie walked out of that same blackhole with a similar yawn of fatigue. "I have brought them Your Honor."
Basking in countless looks of bewilderment, the young woman gave the three men and hamster a confident smile. Soft lips open to explain in a calm tone of voice, "I've already arranged a comfortable ride for their arrival."