Volume Twelve: The Invitation to Hell Chapter Twenty-Three: The Mysterious Suspect

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The visits to the four hospitals soon yielded results.

“We investigated all four hospitals. The four stolen children were all newborns, and each disappearance occurred around the shift change during lunchtime. When the nurses returned, they discovered that the babies were missing and immediately began searching. But after combing through the entire building, they found no trace of them. They then reviewed the surveillance footage and saw a woman carrying the babies away. Yet after reaching the last camera-covered area near the rear entrance, the woman vanished. The hospitals reported the cases to the police, and although the police opened investigations and searched extensively, they found no leads. The woman carrying the babies seemed to have disappeared into thin air. We took photographs of the two deceased victims to the hospitals and made inquiries, but not a single person had seen the face of the woman who took the children.” Huo Mingkun finished speaking and let out a sigh.

“This was premeditated. First, the suspect knew the newborns’ schedules very well. Second, she knew exactly when the infants in these four hospitals would be unattended or only lightly supervised. Third, she was extremely familiar with the hospital layouts. She knew which route would allow her to escape without being captured too clearly on camera, and someone outside was waiting to assist her. Finally, she had an accomplice within the hospitals.” After speaking, Yao Guang continued, “We need to revisit these hospitals. I think we overlooked something. Stealing a child in full view of so many people means this suspect is no ordinary criminal. But have you thought about how she managed it? How could she know the hospitals so well?”

“She must have spent varying amounts of time in all four hospitals. Otherwise, she could never have known them so thoroughly. As long as she stayed there, there must be clues,” Xuan Chen agreed.

Another round of visits and investigations began. Yao Guang and the others first examined the records of everyone employed by the hospitals over the past three years. Sure enough, they found the name Zhang Chunxia among the cleaning staff.

Their investigation revealed that Zhang Chunxia had worked as a cleaner at the hospital for nearly half a year. During her employment, she had been efficient, hardworking, and meticulous. Yet she was a quiet person who always kept her head lowered. After six months, she resigned, claiming that there was a family matter to attend to. She never appeared at the hospital again.

Even more remarkably, she had worked as a cleaner at all four hospitals in succession. The children disappeared two or three months after the suspect had left each hospital. No one had ever connected that diligent, middle-aged woman with the child trafficker who had stolen the babies.

“If Zhang Chunxia’s work as a cleaner was merely a pretext, while her true purpose was to become thoroughly familiar with the hospital environment, then everything makes sense,” Yao Guang said. “Working as a cleaner allowed her to move freely throughout the hospital. No one would suspect her while she was cleaning. Under that cover, she could learn every detail of the hospital and its schedules, laying the groundwork for her crimes.”

“I think so too,” Xuan Chen said with a nod.

“Can we still obtain the original surveillance footage? A comparison would tell us whether that figure was really Zhang Chunxia,” Yao Guang said.

“I’ll check with the criminal investigation division,” Chen Haixu said before leaving.

Carrying Zhang Chunxia’s photograph, Yao Guang followed the interrogation records and found the witnesses whom the police had questioned at the time.

But to Yao Guang’s disappointment, no one had seen the suspect’s face. Without a clear view of her face, no one could prove that the person who had carried away the children was Zhang Chunxia.

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The first hospital yielded no progress or useful information, so they continued their investigation at the next one. The result was the same: still no clues. The third hospital was no different.

When Yao Guang and the others arrived at the fourth hospital, their inquiries again produced nothing.

“This suspect was far too cautious. She left no trace at all,” Yao Guang said helplessly.

“What are you looking for?” a woman asked as she emerged from the stairwell, a broom in her hand.

“Have you seen this person?” Yao Guang asked, holding out Zhang Chunxia’s photograph.

“Isn’t that Zhang Chunxia? What happened to her?” the woman asked.

“You know her?” Yao Guang exclaimed, delighted.

“Of course. She’s from my hometown. I was the one who recommended her for the cleaning job here. She was very careful and thorough in her work. But she left after only four months.”

“When the children disappeared from the hospital, did you see her?” Yao Guang asked.

“Let me think.” The woman lowered her head and pondered for a long while. Suddenly, her eyes lit up. “I remember now. I didn’t see her on the day of the incident, but I saw her the day before. She came in through the rear passage used to transport bodies. She was acting rather strangely that day—very timid and furtive. She walked around for a while and then left. I saw her and called out, but she seemed not to hear me. Without even turning around, she hurried away.”

“Could you show us the passage she took that day?” Yao Guang asked. “And may I ask your name?”

“Oh, my name is Jin Gui. Come with me.”

Auntie Jin Gui led Yao Guang and the others around the rear of the hospital’s inpatient building. After walking a little farther, they reached the back entrance.

“This door connects to the morgue. It’s very secluded, and hardly anyone ever comes here. Follow me.”

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Jin Gui led everyone through the passage behind the back entrance. After only a few steps, they reached the morgue. They crossed through it and exited by the main door, arriving at a secluded side entrance of the inpatient building.

“The deceased are usually taken out of the inpatient building through this door. This was where I saw Zhang Chunxia that day.”

“Xuan Chen, did you notice? There’s only one surveillance camera at this small entrance. The entire passage is unmonitored. If this was the route the suspect used to escape, then it really was the best choice,” Yao Guang said. Then she turned to Jin Gui. “Auntie Jin, how much do you know about Zhang Chunxia?”

“I wouldn’t say I know her very well. She isn’t much of a talker, but she works quickly and efficiently. She’s also very compassionate.”

“Compassionate? What do you mean?” Yao Guang asked.

“She has a younger brother named Zhang Chunhuan. The two of them are orphans. Whenever Zhang Chunxia came across a homeless child or a child who had become separated from their family, she would bring the child home and care for them for several days. If the family couldn’t be found, she would send the child to an orphanage. Not many people know about this. I only heard a little because I was close to her, but I don’t know the details either. People these days are indifferent. If a child isn’t their own, who would bother to care? But Zhang Chunxia did.”

“Do you know where Zhang Chunxia lives? There’s a family whose child she once found. They’ve been trying to locate the woman who helped them, but they never managed to find her. That’s why they asked the police to help,” Yao Guang said with a smile.

“Yes, I know. Walk to the end of Brocade Lute Street in the eastern suburbs. The Zhang family compound is right there. The road is in poor condition, so take it slowly.”

After saying this, Jin Gui smiled and returned to her work.

“Let’s go and take a look at this compound,” Yao Guang said with a smile. They might already be closing in on the truth. “I suspect those two used the pretext of caring for children to traffic them. If anyone asked, they could simply say the children had been sent away. It was a convenient excuse that aroused no suspicion. Under that cover, the two of them could commit their crimes openly.”

“I think so too,” Xuan Chen said with a nod.

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