Chapter 2: The Inheritor of the Xie Family's Estate

  In the morning, the sky suddenly darkened and started to drizzle with a gentle rain, adding a thin layer of coolness to the early autumn.

  I curled up in the soft sofa with a most comfortable posture, spread out the newspaper to take a look at the news, and then let out a long sigh. 53-year-old Zou Guanjia slowly walked over from the inner side of the hall to my side and said: "Thirteen, it's already been three months, you still haven't adapted to being the president of Wu Xie Society?"

  I glared at Zou Guan and said, "I just graduated from university and was about to enter the workforce when suddenly you appeared out of nowhere telling me I have to inherit this weird organization called Wu Xie Society and investigate some mysterious case. Please, I'm not Sherlock Holmes or Conan or Kindaichi. And look, it's already been three months, have you seen any mysterious cases happen? I think this Wu Xie Society will soon fall apart under my hands!"

  Zou Guanjia's face was full of wrinkles, and he showed me a kind smile, saying meaningfully: "All the things that are going to happen in this world must have their causes. Thirteen, you will slowly understand the meaning behind it."

  My name is Zhu Shi San, I'm 25 years old, an orphan who grew up in an orphanage. With the care and support of the government, I successfully entered a key university. Three months ago, just after graduating from college and not having found a suitable job yet, I suddenly met a strange person. I remember that day I was packing my luggage in the dormitory, preparing to leave school.

  Suddenly, a middle-aged man appeared at the dormitory door and said, "I'm looking for Zhu Thirteen." I looked curiously at this middle-aged man, whose hair was already gray, but his spirit was very good, his complexion was ruddy and radiant, and he had an extraordinary temperament, wearing a crisp silver suit.

  "I am. Is there anything?"

  The middle-aged man had a pleased expression on his face and walked over slowly. He said to me, "Thirteen, now that you've graduated, it's time for me to come find you."

  This middle-aged man was Zou Guanjia. In my dormitory, he told me some strange things that made me feel like a monk who couldn't find his head:

  "Thirteen, I am Zhou Guan Jia of the Zhu family. For many years, it was I who secretly donated to the orphanage to support you. According to your father's will left behind, I have now found you and need you to inherit a legacy that your father left for you. As per my agreement with your father, I am not allowed to tell you too much about him. However, in future, I will give you some simple information about your parents. He sent you to the orphanage because he had no choice as a father. But, following in his footsteps, I hope you can inherit your father's lifelong work - Wu Xie She."

  I listened to Mr. Zou's description with bated breath, and at the same time, I couldn't help but sigh that things in life are unpredictable, and my strong curiosity was piqued. My biggest flaw is not only being a complete road idiot, but also having an insatiable curiosity.

  "What is Uyghur Society? Is it a company?"

  "Wuyexia is a secret organization founded by your father to assist the Public Security Bureau in investigating some mysterious cases back then. You will naturally understand what Wuyexia is for later."

  In this way, I inexplicably inherited the Wuyie Society and became its president. My two assistants were both recruited by Zou Guanjia.

  Her name is Kui Ruolan, a female Virgo who pursues perfection. She has a fiery figure with a model-like physique of 180cm and likes to wear tight-fitting leather clothes that "can better highlight my sexy figure". However, her personality is even more fiery, and she doesn't put me, the president, in her eyes at all, often scolding and yelling at me.

  Another one is Chen Qiuyang, a big fat man, 32 years old, graduated from police school and inexplicably became a chef after graduation. He has done various jobs and is said to have been a "97% similar to Wu Yanzu" handsome guy before he got rich, but his first love girlfriend ran away with a rich second generation and turned sorrow into food quantity, resulting in a short 2 months becoming a big fat man, looking far away from the body shape is just a giant snow pear.

  As for these two assistants who don't match me at all, I have no idea what Mr. Zou's intention is. Since there has been no business, I gave Kuai Ruo Lan and Chen Qiuyang a vacation with pay, letting them take a break as they please.

  At this time, the rain outside grew heavier and heavier, with a loud patter of raindrops.

  "This terrible weather, even less people will come, closing the door is a good omen, I'm going to take a nap." I yawned and lazily got up from the soft sofa, walking towards the inner room - actually, one of the main reasons I agreed to Zou Guan's request was that the location of the Wuxie Society is in the bustling area of Longcheng, with a huge area, which solved my accommodation problem.

  The gate guard suddenly appeared with an umbrella.

  He was in his 40s, with a sturdy build and a straight posture. He wore a grey Zhongshan suit, but he didn't look old at all. His face was stern, with a strong sense of authority. As he arrived at the door, he closed his umbrella, gently shaking off the rainwater from it. From this smooth motion, one could tell that he was a master of martial arts.

  Zou Guanjia saw the newcomer and immediately went up to greet him, saying: "Director Dong, it's been a long time."

  The eastern police officer came in, looked around the hall with an expressionless face and said to Zou Guanjia: "I haven't been to Wuyi Society for many years either. Unfortunately, when I come again, old friends are no longer here."

  I knew he was talking about my mysterious missing or deceased father. In fact, since entering the Wuxie Society, although my curiosity has been bursting, I have never asked Zou Guanjia about my father's affairs. In these 25 years of independent living, the significance of parents to me had long been worn away by countless lonely nights.

  Officer Dong sat on the sofa across from me and said, "Old Zou, to make a long story short, this time I've come to the Wuye Society, naturally it's because I need your help - just like in the past." Officer Dong glanced at me after finishing speaking, then continued, "A very bizarre murder case has occurred in Longcheng, and we're stumped."

  I knew that in the eyes of Officer Dong, I was just a naive and inexperienced kid, so he didn't say anything to me. Instead, I sat beside him as an onlooker, listening to Officer Dong and Manager Zou discuss this bizarre case.

  A Dongying police officer said: "Yesterday morning, a murder occurred at the Fuli Building - I personally consider it a murder. The victim was a Hong Kong businessman who came to mainland China and would stay in Longcheng for about 3 months each year. Yesterday morning, he was found dead on his bed by a cleaner. His abdomen had been cut open with a knife and his intestines were pulled out of his body."

  Hearing this, I started to feel a little uncomfortable in my stomach - oh no, am I going to have to deal with such disgusting and frightening things every day after becoming Zhu Thirteen?

  "After receiving the report, we quickly set up a special investigation team to investigate the surveillance videos in various parts of the building. Unfortunately, all the videos, including those from the stairwell and elevator, did not show anyone entering the deceased's residence during this period last night to today."

  I couldn't help but interject, "Your investigation of the video during this time period is useless, because if the murderer had snuck into Mr. Yang's home even earlier, then naturally there would be no one entering his house in this video."

  Zou Guanjia glared at me and said, "Thirteen, let the Dongjing police officer finish stating the case, don't interrupt for now. Besides, your reasoning doesn't hold water - if the murderer killed the victim, wouldn't they need to leave?"

  I: “……”

  "The police officer continued: "After investigation, we currently have the following information:"

  1. No fingerprints of anyone else were found at the deceased's residence.

  2. The murder weapon was left at the scene, a small fruit knife with only the victim's fingerprints on the handle.

  3. The motive for the crime is unclear.

  Preliminary autopsy results show that the victim died from excessive blood loss.

  The fatal wound was in the abdomen, but there were no signs of struggle or fighting before death.

  In fact, his expression could be described as very peaceful.

  The eastern police officer took out a stack of materials and spread them flat on the glass coffee table.

  "Thirteen, come take a look too." The officer called me over to see the photo without any discord.

  As I walked closer, I suddenly gasped in cold air, and felt as if my whole body had fallen into an icy cave, with a chilling and eerie feeling.