A7 C204: Chase and Blockade

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In this world, professions should be impartial, but human hearts have divided them into different levels. Some rise vigorously despite being in the mud, while others lurk in the gutters, waiting in the haze.

Under the wall at the base of the school playground, there sat a group of men covered in gray dust. Among them, the youngest was only fifteen, while the oldest was fifty-eight. The grayish-white cement invaded every inch of them, on their hair, skin, jackets, and pants. Even a cough could stir up countless dust particles.

They were the bottom layer of society.

Most of them had never been to school, couldn't even recognize all the characters, and dropped out of school at a young age to become craftsmen. They went from young assistants to experienced masters, then repeated the cycle by taking on new apprentices.

The renovation of the playground was finally coming to an end. All that was left was for the plastic to dry, and then the results would be inspected. Taking advantage of this rare break, they lounged under the wall, soaking up the sun, puffing on cigarettes, with a haze of smoke preceding a pair of numb and lifeless eyes.

When these men chatted, they spoke in a local dialect, mixed with vulgar and coarse jokes. Occasionally, they would point and comment on the female students in skirts, young and beautiful, at the school, followed by bursts of laughter.

"Damn, those female students are so pretty!"

"Sleeping with one of them would be worth dying for!"

"Dream on, you might as well go spend some money on two."

In the midst of their lively conversation, a man with a large black mole on the corner of his mouth suddenly spoke coldly, "Female students are just like that. Once you've tasted it, there's nothing special."

His workmates looked at him in surprise, only to find that it was Heizhu, who usually loved to boast. "Tch, you talk as if you've slept with them."

Heizhu smiled, revealing yellow teeth, and said no more. He closed his eyes and took a deep drag from the cheap cigarette in his hand, as if savoring some bloody memory that couldn't be shared with others, so he could only brood on it alone.

During the break, most students, except those preparing for the college entrance exam in the third year of high school, ran out to get some fresh air. Jiang Weimian and the others crossed the crowded playground and inadvertently discovered about ten masons crouching under the corner of the wall. Their steps instinctively paused.

He Man was dumbfounded. "With so many people, which one is it?"

Stinking, choking cigarette smoke, with a beard that stabs, and he killed Zhao Xi with a wrench. These were the characteristics of the killer given by Liao Qian.

Jiang Weimian glanced slowly over the group of men, his gaze sharp as an eagle. In a deep voice, he said, "Eliminate the first, fourth, and sixth ones. They don't have beards."

Shen Zuixing added, "The second one can also be excluded; he doesn't smoke. When his colleagues smoke, he covers his nose and moves aside."

Jiang Weimian continued, "The third one is excluded; he only has sawdust on him. He's a carpenter, not a mason."

Qian Duoduo hastily said, "The tenth one can also be excluded; he's very old, and the goat-like beard is especially long and soft, just like my grandpa's. This kind of beard isn't prickly."

Now, there were four left: five, seven, eight, and nine.

Jiang Weimian's gaze fell on them, squinting for a moment. After a while, he walked directly towards them. He reached into his coat pocket, stopped in front of the group of masons, and pretended to take out money, saying, "Master, I'm the school's physical education teacher. The equipment in the equipment room is broken. Does anyone have a wrench? Can I borrow it? I'll give you a hundred yuan, and I'll return it in two hours."

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