Volume Seven: Phantom of River City Chapter Three: A New Clue

“Wait a moment, we've overlooked the most crucial clue.” Yaoguang stood up and headed toward the trace inspection unit, with everyone following close behind.

“Bring me the clothes of the two victims,” she requested.

“Certainly.” The police officer from the trace inspection unit handed over the two sets of clothing. Yaoguang placed them carefully on the evidence examination table and inspected them closely. “These clothes have been washed thoroughly—no traces of blood remain. After washing, they were soaked in disinfectant and then ironed neatly before being packed into these bags. Yet, everyone has neglected one important issue.” She looked at the group with a mysterious air.

“Master, you mean the clothes themselves?” Jiang Yun asked.

“Smart child. We only focused on whether there were traces on these clothes, but overlooked the fact that the garments themselves are a clue. This white lady’s dress is made of real silk, and the man’s shirt is also silk. His suit is crafted from premium fiber. Clothes made from such materials are never cheap. Moreover, the embroidery on the lady’s dress is hand-stitched; the needlework reveals the artisan’s remarkable skill. The decorations on the man’s suit are also hand-embroidered, and judging by the lines, both were crafted by the same embroiderer. The fabrics are exquisite and the workmanship meticulous. With a cursory glance, I can tell these are custom-made, tailored with great care at a high-end private atelier. So, how many such luxury custom shops are there in the city? It shouldn’t be hard to find out!” Yaoguang smiled.

“Phoenix, you’re brilliant,” Captain Li laughed.

“Captain Li, the report is in. Toxicology on the male corpse is clear. DNA shows that the man’s heart belongs to the woman, and the woman’s heart belongs to the man,” Xiangxiang said, bringing over the report.

“This is intriguing. My heart is in you, yours is in me. Is the killer forcing them to see each other's hearts?” Huo Mingkun mused.

“What did you say? Repeat that?” Yaoguang suddenly looked up at him.

“I said, my heart is in you, yours is in me. Is the killer making them face each other's hearts?” Huo Mingkun looked bewildered at Yaoguang.

“Haha, clever boy! That does seem to be the case,” Yaoguang laughed.

“But what’s the point of doing this?” Huo Mingkun asked.

“It’s not clear yet. Perhaps the killer retained these parts for some ritual,” Yaoguang replied. “Let’s start by investigating the manufacturer of these two sets of clothes.”

“I’ll handle this,” Captain Li said, heading out. Yaoguang and the others followed with the clothing. Li Zhitao was already typing on the computer. “Found it. There are only two private custom shops in the city. Only one offers embroidery—the name is Yilan Pavilion Couture.”

“Yilan Pavilion Couture?” Yaoguang opened the garments and examined them closely, discovering tiny, specially made letters on the suit’s cuff and the dress’s lining: Yilan Pavilion Couture. It was indeed clothing from Yilan Pavilion.

“Do you know this shop?” Xuan Chen asked her.

“Not just know it—I'm all too familiar with it.” Yaoguang raised her right hand and showed everyone the edge of her sleeve.

“Yilan Pavilion Couture. So you wear their clothes too?” Xuan Chen remarked.

“Oh, come on, are you daft? Yilan Pavilion Couture’s full name is Yilan Pavilion Couture Co., Ltd. Why don’t you check who the legal representative is?” Yaoguang rolled her eyes in exasperation.

Huo Mingkun was quick to respond. Soon, he pulled up the information and looked at Yaoguang. “Sis, the legal representative is a woman named Yaoguang.”

“Are you clueless too? What’s my real name?” Yaoguang looked at Huo Mingkun.

“Isn’t your name Phoenix?” Huo Mingkun stared at her.

“Oh, good grief, you win. I’ll call you big brother from now on. Phoenix is my title; my real name is Yaoguang. Honestly, I'm speechless.” Yaoguang rubbed her forehead, clearly frustrated.

“Master, you mean you’re the big boss behind Yilan Pavilion Couture?” Jiang Yun looked at her in shock.

“Who else? Where do you think my money comes from? You all know I’m extravagant, but never wondered about the source of my wealth? I need a financial foundation to support my lifestyle, don’t I?” Yaoguang said, exasperated. “Come on, let’s take a look. Investigating a case and ending up at my own company—what a mess.” She strode out. “Hey, Yitian, drive to Yilan Pavilion Couture, we’ve traced the victims’ clothes.”

“Miss.” Yitian stood by the RV at the door, his face clouded, not daring to say a word. Everyone boarded, heading straight to the villa district.

The car entered the villa area and stopped at a private club. Yitian handed in a business card, and the guard hurriedly opened the gate, picked up the intercom, and spoke quickly. The RV drove straight in, parking at the lot in front of the villa. A row of people stood at the entrance as Yaoguang got out.

“Miss.” Everyone bowed to Yaoguang. She waved her hand.

“Miss, why did you come in person? If there’s anything, just let us know,” a middle-aged lady in formal attire greeted her with a smile.

“Oh, Meng-jie, I didn’t want to come, but I had no choice.” Yaoguang naturally linked arms with Meng-jie, her face full of helplessness. She waved to the others: “I’m just here for a stroll. You all get back to work.”

“Yes, Miss.” The group bowed again and quickly departed.

“Meng-jie, let’s talk inside. This is serious.” With that, Yaoguang shed her previous casual demeanor and entered the villa with solemnity. Meng-jie, seeing her like this, knew the matter was grave. Everyone followed Meng-jie to the manager’s office on the sixth floor.

“Miss, what’s going on?” Meng-jie asked directly once everyone was seated.

“Check if these two sets of clothes are ours,” Yaoguang instructed Yitian to place the garments on the table.

“Alright.” Meng-jie examined the clothes carefully and checked the computer. “Yes, Miss. These were commissioned a month ago by a couple. Here’s the client information.” Meng-jie handed the notebook to Yaoguang.

“Zhang Fengchuan, male, 41, general manager of Fengchuan Group, height 182 cm, weight 74 kg. Ma Yanran, female, sales director at Fengchuan Group, height 163 cm, weight 54 kg.” Yaoguang read the details.

“A female executive, indeed,” Huo Mingkun remarked.

“Tell us more about these two clients,” Yaoguang said to Meng-jie.

“Well, they came together to order the clothes on the 10th last month. The woman made all the selections and decisions, while the man was indifferent, barely involved. It was clear the woman was deferential to the man, who didn’t care at all. They seemed like the classic neighborhood girl and domineering CEO pairing. After the clothes were custom-made, the woman picked them up alone on the 20th. That’s about all I know.” Meng-jie finished. “Miss, what happened?”

“These two unfortunate souls were murdered, dismembered. Their heads and hands haven’t been found, and they died wearing these clothes. We traced the garments, and it all led back here—to my own company. Can you imagine my frustration?” Yaoguang looked at Meng-jie, utterly dispirited.

“Oh, how could this happen?” Meng-jie was speechless.

“Alright, Meng-jie, copy these two clients’ information for me,” Yaoguang sighed.

“Yes, Miss.” Soon, Meng-jie handed over a USB drive.

“Well then, Meng-jie, I’m leaving.” Yaoguang said and walked out. “Captain Li, apply for cooperation and search warrants. We’re heading to Fengchuan Group.”

“Understood.” Captain Li pulled out his phone.