Chapter 2: The Deceased's True Identity

The morning alarm shattered the tranquility. Lin Mo was woken by a phone call from Officer Zhang, his old partner at the police station. "Lin Mo, we have a case. The victim is a woman, found in an alley in the West District last night, poisoned to death." Officer Zhang's tone was heavy. Lin Mo was startled and immediately rushed to the scene. As he passed through the cordon and saw the body lying under the white sheet, his breath caught. The lifeless face belonged to the woman in black who had visited his office late last night. "The deceased is named Su Qing, the Chief Financial Officer of a tech company." Officer Zhang handed him a preliminary investigation report. "Time of death is approximately 1 AM last night, shortly after she left your office." "Were there any clues left at the scene?" Lin Mo tried his best to keep his voice calm, concealing last night's meeting. "None. The killer's methods were clean." Officer Zhang shook his head. "But her handbag is missing. She might have lost important items." Looking at Su Qing's cold body, Lin Mo's mind flashed to the black wooden box that smelled of almonds. Su Qing clearly knew she was in danger, which is why she entrusted the box to him before her death. This was no simple murder; a deeper conspiracy lay hidden behind it.