Chapter 104: The Source of the Human Skeletons, Inferring Zhou Shirui’s Current Identity!

Inside Zhou Shirui’s studio.

There were no fewer than twenty human skeletons stored within. This shocking revelation made Lin Tian struggle to keep his composure.

Because—If Zhou Shirui had truly killed so many people, then he would be the most prolific serial killer in nearly two decades.

In fact, considering the entire history of China, he would rank among the top five most terrifying murderers.

This was an issue that could not be ignored. It required immediate and urgent action.

If such a ruthless killer were mishandled—Every leader in the Magic City’s public security system would be implicated. Worse yet, the police force’s credibility would plummet to unimaginable depths.

A criminal who had killed more than twenty people had roamed free for twenty years without being caught—how could the public possibly trust law enforcement after that?

…

At this moment—There was no hesitation whatsoever.

Xu Changsheng immediately ended the call and initiated a video call instead. Holding up his phone to show the twenty human skeletons, he said,

“Master, look…”

“These are the clothes of the 5.13 Dismemberment Case victims. Right next to the framed clothing, there are twenty neatly arranged human skeletons.”

…

Inside the forensic technology division of the Huaihai Criminal Investigation Unit—Su Ming was using his laptop for a video call with Xu Changsheng to analyze the situation more clearly.

On the laptop screen—The twenty human skeletons were now clearly visible, neatly arranged in rows.

The flesh had been completely stripped away, leaving behind hollow eye sockets that were eerily unsettling.

Staring at the screen, Lin Tian repeatedly clenched and unclenched his left fist, a clear sign of the turbulent emotions and unspoken shock within him.

Su Ming’s expression was also grim. If Zhou Shirui had truly killed all these people, then the level of danger they were dealing with had increased by several magnitudes.

This wasn’t just an ordinary criminal—he would have to be classified as a full-blown terrorist.

Despite the countless thoughts racing through his mind, Su Ming’s gaze remained locked on the human skeletons in the video feed.

He quickly confirmed that these were not mere models but actual human bones. However, after assessing their height, size, shape, and signs of wear—

He made a startling discovery.

The original owners of these skeletons ranged in age from eighteen to eighty, with both men and women included.

Moreover—Su Ming noticed something peculiar: some of the skeletons had visible signs of repair. Original fractures had been meticulously mended by Zhou Shirui.

This was highly suspicious.

Because—Given Zhou Shirui’s obsessive perfectionism, his commitment to flawless craftsmanship meant that if he had truly dismembered these bodies himself, he would have taken every possible measure to ensure no mistakes or damage occurred.

More importantly—Bones are not like flesh. It’s not easy to accidentally break them. Unlike slicing meat, where one might apply inconsistent force, breaking bones requires significant strength.

This meant—The fractures on these skeletons were likely not caused after death but at the moment of death itself.

Furthermore—The vast age range of the skeletons didn’t align with the patterns of Zhou Shirui’s crime records on the dark web.

At this point—After examining the twenty skeletons, Lin Tian frowned deeply, clearly puzzled, and muttered,

“This doesn’t make sense. It really doesn’t make sense.”

“How did Zhou Shirui manage to commit over twenty murders over so many years without us catching him?”

“If we calculate the intervals, he would have killed more than once per year on average. I just can’t imagine how he could pull this off. Could such a terrifying killer truly exist?”

As soon as he finished speaking—

Su Ming shook his head and, with a serious and resolute expression, turned to Lin Tian and said,

“Chief Lin, I don’t think that’s the case.”

“The original owners of these skeletons were most likely not killed by Zhou Shirui.”

“Or rather—These people were already dead before their bodies ended up in Zhou Shirui’s hands.”

“I noticed that many of the skeletons have signs of repair. Given Zhou Shirui’s obsessive perfectionism, if he had decided to collect these skeletons, he would have ensured they were flawless—without any damage whatsoever.”

“Additionally, after roughly estimating the original owners’ ages, I found that they don’t fit the descriptions of the victims Zhou Shirui posted about in his forum discussions.”

“So, based on my assessment—The owners of these skeletons likely died from various accidents, and Zhou Shirui purchased their bodies from their families under the pretense of needing them for sculpting.”

“To many people, the concept of ‘respecting the dead’ means little. Some would be more than willing to sell their relatives’ remains for a sizable sum of money.”

“Zhou Shirui isn’t lacking in money, but he is lacking in access to human corpses for his highly twisted anatomical studies—sources of inspiration for his sculptures.”

At this point—Su Ming paused for a few seconds to organize his thoughts before continuing,

“I’ll take a bold guess.”

“The victims’ clothing from the 5.13 Dismemberment Case is positioned on the far left, while the twenty skeletons are neatly arranged to the right.”

“Given Zhou Shirui’s obsessive-compulsive tendencies, it’s highly likely that they are organized chronologically.”

“In other words—”

“After committing the 5.13 Dismemberment Case, Zhou Shirui began purchasing human remains at intervals.”

“The reason? Because the act of dismembering a body gave him an unparalleled source of inspiration—allowing him to become the youngest sculptor to ever win the Luban Award.”

“He enjoyed that thrill. He needed the creative spark that came from cutting up corpses. But due to fear of law enforcement, he didn’t dare continue killing—afraid that multiple cases might lead to his exposure.”

“So, he settled for a compromise: buying corpses under the guise of sculpting, allowing him to continue dismembering bodies for inspiration.”

“This theory explains why—A deranged killer capable of committing the 5.13 Dismemberment Case, someone with clear psychopathic tendencies, managed to stop killing for twenty years.”

“Typically, killers like this derive extreme pleasure from murder and dismemberment. What kind of circumstance could possibly make him suppress his urges? Now, we have a likely answer.”

“But of course—slicing up purchased cadavers is still no match for the thrill of personally killing someone. To compensate for this lack of satisfaction, Zhou Shirui likely turned to drugs—eventually becoming a founding member of the drug cartel.”

“Verifying this theory should be simple. Most sculptors tend to leave a signature or date on their works for commemoration.”

“The same principle should apply here. If we find any such markings on these skeletons, it will confirm everything.”

At this moment—After explaining the origins of the skeletons, a new realization dawned on Su Ming. He turned to Lin Tian with a serious expression and said,

“Chief Lin.”

“I might have figured out Zhou Shirui’s current identity.”

“Given his passion for sculpting, his relentless pursuit of perfection, and his extreme nature—It’s highly likely that even now, his identity remains tied to sculpting. In fact, he may have risen to prominence in the field in recent years.”

“In other words—Zhou Shirui started laying the groundwork for a new identity six years ago to ensure a perfect escape.”

“But given our country’s strict identity and personal record system—”

“His current identity is most likely that of a—A sculptor of Chinese descent, who renounced his citizenship, obtained full foreign nationality, came to Magic City for artistic studies six years ago, and has been rising to fame ever since!!!”