The investigation into the case had once again reached a complex and difficult juncture. The case began with a bizarre suicide, and the deceased, named Li Jianhui, was around thirty years old. On the surface, his life seemed ordinary, and there was nothing noteworthy about his background. However, the manner of his death raised the police's suspicions.
Li Jianhui was found dead in his apartment, with a brief suicide note placed beside him. The note read, "I'm sorry, I can no longer bear the weight of everything in this world. My death is voluntary. Please do not mourn for me." This seemed like a typical suicide note. At first glance, everything appeared to be normal. However, when Su Wanqing first examined the case, she sensed something strange about the note.
"This note is too brief," Su Wanqing said as she sat at her desk, flipping through the paper Li Jianhui had left behind. "There's no emotional outpouring, the tone is too calm, and it feels cold."
Lu Chenzhou also examined the note, his brow furrowing. "At face value, it's difficult to draw any conclusions. But from my experience with these kinds of cases, typically in a 'voluntary' suicide, people's emotions would show some fluctuation, especially when facing death. A lack of emotional language is unusual."
Both of them had suspicions and decided to investigate the case further. Su Wanqing led a team of forensic experts to autopsy Li Jianhui's body. Upon detailed examination, Su Wanqing found some abnormalities. The deceased's body contained traces of a special drug, one that temporarily disables control over the body and induces a confused state of mind, in which people may act according to external commands or suggestions. The drug's effects were short-lived, and it seemed that Li Jianhui, in a state of confusion, might have been forced to write the suicide note.
"This isn't a suicide; it's a forced fabrication," Su Wanqing spoke calmly, yet her voice held firm determination. "This drug causes confusion, making someone write something against their will."
Lu Chenzhou's brow furrowed deeply as he made his preliminary judgment. "So, this is likely a murder disguised as a suicide. But who benefits from this?"
According to the forensic report, the drug found in Li Jianhui's system was identified as "Kunjue," a chemical substance that wasn't common but had been used in illegal circles as a "coercion drug." Lu Chenzhou and Su Wanqing then began to delve into Li Jianhui's background.
After some investigation, Lu Chenzhou discovered that Li Jianhui had been involved with an underground loan sharking ring that specialized in offering high-interest loans to those in desperate need of money. A few months prior, Li Jianhui had borrowed a significant sum from the organization, and due to the exorbitant interest, he was unable to repay it. The police uncovered that Li Jianhui's debt had reached one million, far beyond his ability to repay.
"This loan sharking group might be related to this case," Lu Chenzhou mused. "These illegal organizations use ruthless methods and threaten lives easily. If Li Jianhui couldn't repay the debt, he would have faced immense pressure, even a threat to his life."
As the investigation continued, they found that Li Jianhui's death seemed directly connected to the loan sharking group. To protect their interests, the higher-ups of the organization had already resorted to any means necessary to deal with those who couldn't repay their debts. Li Jianhui, as one of their "clients," had evidently not escaped this fate. According to the evidence, Li Jianhui's debt remained unpaid, and to cover up this fact and avoid exposure of the loan activities, they staged his death as a suicide.
"They likely chose the most direct method to cover their illegal activities," Su Wanqing analyzed. "Since Li Jianhui couldn't repay the debt, the loan sharking organization decided to 'make him die.' To prevent external suspicion, they used this drug to control him, forcing him to write the 'suicide' note in a state of unconsciousness."
However, the truth behind this was far from simple. Su Wanqing and Lu Chenzhou began digging deeper into the core members of the loan sharking organization, attempting to uncover relevant evidence. Through further investigation, they learned that the organization had more complex operations behind the scenes, even with connections to dark forces in politics and business. The group was not only involved in illegal lending but also engaged in money laundering, drug trafficking, and other criminal activities.
As the investigation progressed, Lu Chenzhou and Su Wanqing quickly realized that the case they were dealing with was far more than a simple murder disguised as a suicide. The dark forces hidden behind the loan sharking organization were much larger and more dangerous than they had initially anticipated.
During their investigation, Lu Chenzhou and Su Wanqing also discovered that Li Jianhui was not the only victim. The organization had dealt with multiple "clients" over the years who could not repay their debts, and their deaths had also been staged as suicides. These deaths were all linked to the "Kunjue" drug. The families of these victims, including Li Jianhui's own family, never suspected anything until Su Wanqing and Lu Chenzhou's thorough investigation.
As time went on, Lu Chenzhou and Su Wanqing grew closer to the heart of the criminal organization. In a raid, they successfully destroyed a secret base of the loan sharking group, uncovering large quantities of illegal contracts and bloody transaction records, further confirming the organization's criminal activities. Among these documents, they found a "Bloodstained Contract," which detailed the fates of every individual who had been forced into this dark world and their tragic destinies.
In the end, Lu Chenzhou and Su Wanqing uprooted the loan sharking group, completely dismantling its network. Li Jianhui's family finally learned the true cause of his death and was able to avenge him.
"Although the truth of this case has been uncovered, the fate of those victims can never be changed," Su Wanqing said, standing by the window, gazing at the distant city. Her voice was somber. "This is a bloodstained contract, and the darkness behind it runs far deeper than we imagined."
"Yes," Lu Chenzhou nodded, his eyes filled with helplessness. "But at least we've stopped more innocent lives from being consumed."