"Fire-thunder tube? Are these bombs common?" Liu Yuning asked.
"Common. Anyone with a bit of physics knowledge could probably make them with their own skills. The key is getting the materials, which shouldn't be that easy! Our country's regulations on sulfur and other flammable substances are very strict!"
"Oh? So this killer might have a channel to get materials for making bombs?"
Xia Hou pondered and said, "It's possible. The scene is in such a state of destruction, but other areas seem not to be severely damaged. This proves the killer only intended to eliminate this family."
"There's surveillance here; it shouldn't be difficult to get their identities!" Xiao Dong said.
Soon, Gao Mingqiang went to find the hotel's surveillance room, while Xie Chuchu and I carefully removed the bodies from the chairs while examining them. Although it was only pairs of feet, it was better than nothing.
I placed them all on the ground, side by side. It was a sight that those who hadn't seen it could not imagine.
It felt like collecting the limbs of fallen comrades on a battlefield.
From these pairs of feet alone, I was able to estimate their ages.
The man should be around 35, the woman around 32, an old man about 70, and the 10-year-old boy in the middle.
Hearing my conclusion, Xie Chuchu said indignantly, "This guy wants to kill an entire family and doesn't even spare a 10-year-old child."
"Yes, who would have thought it's another case of family annihilation!"
Mentioning family annihilation reminded everyone of the incident at Wu Yisong's home not long ago. With so many people dead again, and the situation even more tragic, an overwhelming sense of dread descended upon us.
Of course, as criminal investigators, we couldn't be defeated by such emotions. Liu Yuning encouraged everyone, while Xiao Yuande and Xia Hou had already found many remnants of the bodies around the area.
Gao Mingqiang was also responsible for this earlier, but upon seeing the scene, he immediately found an excuse to go watch the surveillance footage.
I knew his character, so I didn't bother him.
Looking at the collected remains on the ground, there were two lungs, several teeth, a pair of arms, and a severely mangled head. The scene was horrifying and disgusting, but the forensic team arranged them one by one. Detailed autopsies were not feasible at the hotel, so I decided to take them back to the forensic department.
There were many witnesses this time; almost everyone eating here was terrified. Many police officers were interviewing them. I found the hotel manager.
This manager appeared to be older, a bald man. I asked him, "Where were you when the incident occurred?"
"I was resting upstairs, in my office. I was almost startled out of my wits by a loud bang. I thought it was the kitchen gas exploding!"
"And you never left your office?"
"No, I'm the manager. Except in special circumstances, I usually delegate tasks to my subordinates. I just assign work and then slack off here."
"Here?"
"Oh, sorry, I meant the office. Officer He, what do you think happened? They were having a good meal, and then suddenly it exploded. Did those guests offend someone? Even so, they shouldn't retaliate at the hotel! Our hotel will be ruined!"
The manager vented his frustrations to me. I interrupted him, saying, "Are your surveillance systems functioning properly? Are they inspected regularly?"
"Of course. The situation at the scene was probably captured. Please solve the case quickly and clear our hotel's name, otherwise, business will be severely affected!"
"Don't worry, the case results will be announced if there are any. Now, do you know who those guests were?"
"I don't know. Shall we go watch the surveillance footage together?"
We went to the surveillance room and found Gao Mingqiang watching footage with some security guards. We joined them.
Noticing our arrival, Gao Mingqiang said, "We saw it. It was a couple with their child eating. The old man was likely the man's father. They were eating happily, but when the child touched a plate of braised fish with his chopsticks, the bomb exploded. Isn't that strange?"
"Braised fish? Could the bomb's trigger have been in that plate of braised fish?" the manager muttered.
I shook my head. "With the surroundings so blown up, the dish itself is probably gone. I hope the forensics team can find something!"
Continuing to watch the surveillance, everyone's attention suddenly focused on a waiter.
This person looked quite young. He was the one who brought the plate of braised fish to the table and placed it near the child. There were other dishes on the table, including stir-fried green peppers with potatoes, beef fried rice noodles, and scrambled eggs with tomatoes, but the other dishes seemed fine.
They were laughing and talking, eating with great relish, showing no suspicion at all. They probably had no idea they would meet their end today.
I asked the manager next to me, "Who is this waiter? Can you call him over?"
"This is our company's Xiao Li. I'll call him right away!"
A moment later, the waiter came before us.
Gao Mingqiang asked him, "Did you bring that braised fish?"
"What braised fish? I deliver many dishes a day; I don't remember if I brought it or not."
"This kind!" Gao Mingqiang had a security guard replay the video for Xiao Li. Seeing himself moving on the screen, Xiao Li seemed to recall something and immediately said, "So it was this family that had the accident? Fortunately, I had already delivered the food and left!"
Xiao Li didn't answer our question directly but said with relief.
"I asked you if you placed that braised fish!" Gao Mingqiang emphasized.
"So what if I did? You two don't suspect me, do you? I don't know anything! Isn't it normal for a waiter to deliver food? How could I possibly know!"
The moment Xiao Li answered, I observed his micro-expressions. He looked helpless and embarrassed, seeming not to be lying. Gao Mingqiang, however, continued to question him sternly, "Did you notice anything unusual about the braised fish before?"
"How could I notice? We can't touch the guests' food. I just took it from the kitchen and brought it to the table!"
"And in the kitchen, did you notice anything unusual?"
Xiao Li thought for a moment, then slapped his head and said, "Right, someone wiped the edge of the plate before letting me leave!"
"Who?" I asked anxiously.
"Our kitchen chef Liu. But he's very meticulous with his work, and he's always like this. I don't think he's suspicious!"