The Entomologist's Perfect Crime Chapter 7

I picked up my thermos from the desk and took a sip of goji berry tea.

I said:

"That's why I'm afraid of bugs."

Some students showed frightened expressions:

"Huh? Professor Dorn, does this story have anything to do with bugs?"

Some students were shocked:

"Professor Dorn, is this true? Did your wife really try to kill you?"

"Could it be... murder for insurance fraud?"

Some students were suspicious:

"It's so strange. The wife wanted to kill her husband for insurance money, but in the end the husband is the winner."

Some students were curious:

"Professor Dorn, you said this is why you're afraid of bugs, but what exactly is this reason? Is it just because your wife tried to kill you? But your wife's method of trying to kill you doesn't seem related to bugs."

"The story is very immersive, but it seems too absurd. Your wife disappeared, then suddenly came back, and you went skydiving like nothing happened. Then your wife died, and on the same day your wife died, your son also died, both accidents. In the end, you got two huge insurance payouts and a big company."

"But there are too many suspicious points here. Why would your son suddenly go to the neighbor's house when he was fine at home? Why did your wife suddenly disappear when you had such a good relationship before, and why didn't she tell you anything this time?"

Detective Zhou in the corner frowned even more.

I smiled and took another sip of goji berry tea:

"Good observations, students. This story is full of holes because the story isn't over yet."

"Does anyone know what Maricopa venom is?"

Students shook their heads:

"No."

"Maricopa venom is the toxin from the Maricopa harvester ant, one of the most toxic insect venoms in the world."

There was an uproar below.

I asked again:

"Does anyone know what Type I hypersensitivity reaction is?"

Students shook their heads: "No."

I explained:

"Type I hypersensitivity reaction has a mechanism divided into sensitization and activation stages. The interval between the two stages usually doesn't exceed twenty days. The first sting causes the bee venom to act as an antigen, sensitizing the person. When exposed to the same antigen again, a hypersensitive reaction occurs. The hypersensitivity develops rapidly, sometimes in just a few minutes."

"But not everyone will have a Type I hypersensitivity reaction—only a very small number of people."

I paused, then slowly continued:

"Actually, I found my wife the night she disappeared."

The story continues:

I'm an entomologist. I never keep insects.

But my wife wanted to keep them.

My wife and I had lived in harmony for so many years. When she disappeared, of course I was anxious.

Our home was a detached villa. To protect residents' privacy, the neighboring houses in the community were spaced quite far apart.

Two weeks before my wife disappeared, on my way home from work, I ran into an old acquaintance who happened to live next door.

Since we moved into this villa, the house next door had always been empty.

I thought it hadn't been sold.

Later, when paying property fees, I saw the payment records for next door.

The property manager said the owner had been out of town and hadn't returned. After the house was decorated, it had just remained empty.

So when I got home, I was inexplicably reminded of this strange neighbor.

At my wit's end, I decided to try my luck.

Sure enough, I saw my wife at the neighbor's house.

After I dropped my wife off at the company that morning, she had come to the neighbor's house.

Our son came with her.

They were like a family of three, eating dinner together, happy and harmonious.

And I was still searching for my wife everywhere like a fool.

I didn't understand. I wanted to rush in and demand to know why she was doing this to me.

Just as I was about to rush in, I heard my wife's shocking secret.