From here, a six- or seven-meter-wide stone staircase stretches all the way to the mountain top. Along one side of the path is a row of thick city walls, said to have been built by the short-lived Southern Ming Dynasty. Originally very tall, most of it was destroyed after enduring hundreds of years of wind and rain. Recently, a development company renovated it, making it wider and more solid, but only waist-high, now serving as a handrail for tourists climbing the mountain.

This area is called Sanming Mountain, the most famous mountain in Ningshi. It was a military fortress in ancient times, but now it is a scenic spot.

Today is the first Wednesday of July, neither a holiday nor the tourist season, so there are very few visitors in the scenic area. Zhang Dongsheng specifically chose today to take his in-laws for a hike.

“Dad, Mom, let’s rest at the platform halfway up,” Zhang Dongsheng, carrying a backpack and with a camera around his neck, patiently attended to his in-laws. To anyone, he appeared to be the perfect son-in-law.

Soon, they reached a large platform halfway up, about the size of five or six basketball courts. The three of them stood under a tree on the outer side of the platform, looking out at the expansive scenery.

Zhang’s mother-in-law, breathing in the fresh air, seemed very pleased with today’s outing. “I’ve wanted to come to Sanming Mountain for a long time. Last time I heard people say it’s very crowded during holidays, especially on May Day and National Day. Luckily, Dongsheng is a teacher and has summer vacation, so we don’t need to come during holidays. Look, there’s hardly anyone here today!”

Zhang Dongsheng looked around. Today was a working day, so there were few tourists. The whole platform had only the three of them. Behind the platform were a few souvenir shops with a few tourists eating and cooling off. Thirty meters away, in a small pavilion, three middle-school-aged children were playing.

No one was paying attention to them.

“Dad, Mom, have some water.” Zhang Dongsheng put down his bag, took out two water bottles, and handed them to his in-laws. Then he said, “Dad, the scenery here is nice. Why don’t you and Mom stand together for a picture?”

The old couple, following their son-in-law’s suggestion, stood together and made the classic peace sign. Zhang Dongsheng framed the shot with his camera, then put it down and said, “There’s a wall behind you blocking the view. Why don’t you sit on the wall? I’ll change the angle and include the sky as the background. The photo will look better that way.”

The old man, though finding it troublesome, didn’t want to refuse his son-in-law’s enthusiastic suggestion. Seeing his wife’s eager look, he reluctantly moved to the wall a few meters behind them.

The wall was not very high, just up to their waists, and very wide and thick. Tourists often sat on it to take pictures. The old man easily lifted himself onto it with his hands, followed by his wife, who held onto his arm. Zhang Dongsheng smiled at them, framed the shot with his camera a few more times, then approached them, smiling, “Dad, Mom, get a little closer, more intimate.”

The old man, somewhat awkward, complied reluctantly, “Just take the picture.” His wife, however, smiled and followed her son-in-law’s suggestion, holding her husband’s arm tighter.

At the last moment, Zhang Dongsheng scanned the surroundings one more time. There were no other people on the platform, and the few tourists far away were not looking at them. The three children in the pavilion thirty meters away were still playing.

This was the moment he had been planning for nearly a year!

Smiling and talking, he reached out to adjust their posture. Suddenly, he grabbed their legs and, with all his strength, lifted and pushed them over the wall. Instantly, the old couple tumbled down like puppets, their long screams echoing as they fell.

Zhang Dongsheng stood stunned for a few seconds, then quickly leaned over the wall, looking down and shouting clumsily, “Dad! Mom! Dad! Mom!”

There was no answer.

A height that guaranteed death.

He quickly turned and ran towards the souvenir shops in the distance. By then, people had heard the commotion and were running over, anxiously asking what had happened.

Looking panic-stricken, he cried for help, “Help! Help! My parents have fallen!”

No one would suspect that this was not an accident, but a murder.

A cold smile crossed Zhang Dongsheng’s mind. He had planned this moment for nearly a year. This was a perfect crime. Any bizarre murder method paled in comparison to such an “accident.” Among the thousands of accidents every year, perhaps some are not accidents but murders. But people would never know the truth.