Zyklon-Säbel

Kapitel 6

"Hey, what happened here? Did someone die too? I'm having such a bad day, looks like I'll have to go to the temple to burn incense tomorrow." The driver grumbled as he took the money, glancing at me. I figured it must be because of my pale face!

I squeezed through the crowd of onlookers. The faces of those around me showed no fear, but rather an excited, almost theatrical, enjoyment of watching a spectacle. I was familiar with that expression; I'd seen it countless times. People always seem to show far more curiosity than fear or sympathy for the deaths of those who are unrelated to them. That's why there are always so many curious onlookers around crime scenes. Sometimes I wonder, do people's curiosity really have to be focused on things like this?

I greeted the police officers on guard, showed them my forensic identification, and before I even entered, I bumped into Xiao Ren standing at the door. His face was grave, his eyes red. I knew he was someone who always wore his emotions on his sleeve; it was incredibly difficult for him to suppress his grief at this moment. I stopped at the door, suddenly feeling a pang of fear. This time, the person I needed to examine wasn't a stranger, but Lao Cao, someone who was practically my mentor's superior, a living, breathing man who gave me things and talked to me during the day.

But I have a job as a forensic pathologist, a job that requires you to examine a corpse with the most professional yet ruthless eye at all times, whether it's a stranger or an acquaintance. As a forensic pathologist, you just have to grit your teeth and do it. I entered Old Cao's yard, and there lay Old Cao's body. Blood had stained a large patch of the ground red. The dark red blood made me feel dizzy for the first time. The bleeding from the chest wound had long since stopped, and his heart had stopped beating. Old Cao's eyes were wide open, his eyeballs bulging, as if he had some unfinished business to attend to and was filled with fear of something. The expression on his face was very realistic; perhaps it was the expression he had at the moment of his death, frozen forever on Old Cao's face. It seemed to be a single, fatal blow; the murderer's method was both swift and precise.

"You came very quickly!" Chen Kai said to me as he walked over.

"Ah!" I replied casually, because I really wasn't in the mood for small talk with him.

"Young man, try to think more positively. Of course, if you can't manage, I can ask someone else to do the test," Chen Kai patted my shoulder, trying to comfort me.

I turned to look at him and gently shook my head. "No, I can do it." It wasn't that I was heartless; I just thought that if Old Cao knew from beyond the grave, he would surely want me, his half-apprentice, to help him with the autopsy.

"Alright then!" Chen Kai didn't say anything more. He knew I was a very rational and professional person, and there shouldn't be any mistakes. "You should confirm the time of death first!"

I nodded and gestured to my assistant, Xiao Zhou, a fair-skinned young man, to give me the gloves. Xiao Zhou handed me the gloves with red eyes; I guessed he must have been heartbroken and in tears too, since Lao Cao was always very kind to everyone and had excellent interpersonal relationships.

I put on gloves and squatted down next to Old Cao. There are generally three methods to determine a person's time of death: rigor mortis, livor mortis, and body temperature. However, these can usually only be used as a reference, because a body is affected by many factors, such as the weather, the surrounding temperature, the nature of the body itself, whether the person drank alcohol, used drugs, or took any medications before death, etc.

Rigor mortis typically appears one to three hours after death, starting with the eyes and face, and then gradually spreading to the limbs and eventually the whole body (generally after 12 hours). After another six hours, the body slowly softens again. Of course, there are exceptions; if a person dies suddenly under extreme stress, the body may stiffen instantly. Some historical records document instances where someone was beheaded on the battlefield but was still able to ride a horse and wield a weapon. Cao Cao's face and neck are currently quite stiff, indicating that he has likely been dead for relatively short time.

Then there's livor mortis, which are purplish-red stains, somewhat like the color of red wine. This is because after death, the blood in the body no longer circulates and, due to the influence of gravity, settles in the blood vessels at the bottom of the body. Generally, if a person died face up, livor mortis is most likely to appear on the back. If it's on the chest, it indicates that the body was moved after death.

Finally, there's the body temperature. Theoretically, a person's body temperature drops by one degree Celsius every hour after death. However, this is just theory. A person's weight, whether they died indoors or outdoors, and the ambient temperature all significantly affect this. Old Cao's body wasn't very cold, even outdoors at night, suggesting he died sometime between 9:30 and 11:00 PM.

"How is it?" Chen Kai asked hurriedly when he saw me stand up.

"The preliminary assessment is that it occurred between 9:30 and 11:00, but I can only give you the detailed autopsy report after I have completed the examination."

“Then we should push it back another fifteen minutes,” Chen Kai said, looking at me.

"Oh?" "Because it was Old Cao's neighbor who discovered the body at 10:50 and reported it to us. We arrived at 11:03, and then you arrived at 11:30." Chen Kai deliberately spoke the last part of his sentence very slowly and in a heavy tone.

I knew he wanted to ask why I got there so quickly, because my home is much farther away than half an hour away. Looking at his face, I didn't answer his question immediately, but instead asked him, "Why is his neighbor looking for him so late?"

"Because the neighbor's fuse blew, they originally planned to come back tomorrow to ask Lao Cao for some more fuses, but it's hot and without electricity they can't turn on their fans, so they had to come this late. They didn't expect to find a body instead of borrowing a fuse," Chen Kai replied.

Book One: The Three Ghosts of the City, Chapter Thirteen: The Lost Autopsy Report

Book One: The Three Ghosts of the City, Chapter Thirteen: The Lost Autopsy Report

I don't know if it was fate or what, but if the neighbor's fuse hadn't blown, I would have been the first person at the crime scene. I couldn't help but shudder, my hands trembled involuntarily, and my face turned quite embarrassed. Chen Kai, who was standing next to me, saw all of this. I could feel his gaze fixed on me, like a seasoned hunter eyeing his prey.

"Xiao Zhou, have you investigated the entire scene?" I asked Xiao Zhou, trying to hide the myriad thoughts swirling in my mind.

"We've checked everything. It looks like a home invasion robbery followed by murder to cover it up," Xiao Zhou replied.

"Really?" I frowned and looked into the room. It was a complete mess, with everything ransacked. My heart suddenly skipped a beat. Where was Old Master Cao's autopsy report? Could it have been stolen by the bandits? Thinking of this, I ignored Chen Kai beside me and hurried into the room.

At first glance, there was no report at all. I looked at Xiao Zhou and said, "Check it carefully again. Maybe something has been missed!" Xiao Zhou nodded and started calling his colleagues to check again.

"Do you think there's anything else we might have missed?" Chen Kai asked me.

"You're quite the old fox," I said, forcing myself to remain calm. "It's always good to examine things carefully. In court, even the smallest amount of evidence can be used to bring down the murderer."

"Really? If the murderer is also a professional, then it's hard to say!" Chen Kai stared into my eyes, clearly harboring serious suspicions about me. But why? Was it because I arrived a little early? I glanced at Chen Kai with a hint of resentment. "That's not necessarily true. A murderer is always a murderer. Just because he has some professional knowledge doesn't mean he can escape legal punishment!"

"Haha, good, well said!" Chen Kai laughed and patted my shoulder. "It's good to hear you say that."

I smiled and didn't say anything more, but my gaze suddenly fell on the black notebook in Chen Kai's hand. It was Lao Cao's work notebook, something I saw on Lao Cao's desk almost every day. Chen Kai probably noticed my gaze and generously opened the notebook for me, saying, "Lao Cao has a date with you tonight, right?"

I didn't know whether it would be more advantageous to tell the truth or lie, but in the end I decided to tell the truth. After all, I didn't kill the person, so I had nothing to hide. "Yes, Lao Cao asked me to meet him at his house at eleven o'clock."

"Oh, you're asking me out so late?"

"He probably wants to talk to me about some recent work issues!" I replied casually. Of course, I couldn't tell him the content of the conversation; I just hoped to brush it off.

"Really? Then it must be very important work!" Chen Kai opened his notebook, and on that page, my name was written in ballpoint pen, with a red line drawn under it.

"Old Cao has always had the habit of keeping a work diary." I glanced at the notebook and then looked away. I thought, Old Cao must have had a fierce internal struggle before deciding to give me the autopsy report!

"Your half-disciple seems to know your master quite well!" Chen Kai said to me, closing his notebook.

I smiled and nodded, saying nothing more. I was conflicted. The autopsy report must contain some crucial clues, and I really hoped the murderer hadn't taken it. But the thought that if it was still there, the police might take it, and my head started to ache again. Chen Kai, standing beside me, seemed more interested in me, following me closely without moving an inch, giving me no chance to look for it.

"Captain Chen, I'm sorry I'm late." Just as I was figuring out how to get rid of Chen Kai, Fang Lei's voice came from behind me. It seemed that it was time for the heroine to step in.

"Oh, you've come at the right time." Chen Kai waved for Fang Lei to come in.

"It was Old Cao who died! I never expected that!" Fang Lei glanced at me, and I quickly winked at her, signaling her to follow me.

"Fang Lei, come and take a look at the body!" Without waiting for Chen Kai's reaction, I quickly walked out of the room, and Fang Lei followed behind me knowingly. Fortunately, Chen Kai did not follow.

"Could you check if there's a report or something that Lao Cao promised me before he died?" I whispered to Fang Lei. Fang Lei nodded and walked with me to the body.

"A quick stab like that, not something an ordinary thief could pull off," Fang Lei said softly, glancing at the corpse.

"What do you mean?" I suddenly felt my eyelids twitch again. Judging from the current situation, I was hoping that this was just an ordinary case of burglary and murder, but it seems that hope is going to be dashed.

"You sensed it all along, why are you asking me?" Fang Lei stretched her neck like a proud swan, a strange smile on her face. As for me, the one being mocked, I just wanted to strangle her. I hoped God wouldn't blame me for abusing an animal.

"I'm going in." Fang Lei's face was already serious when she said this. I have to admire how quickly she could change her expression; it was faster than flipping through a book.

I could only stand there blankly beside the corpse, because I knew that as long as I went inside, Chen Kai would definitely follow me. Rather than being watched like this, it was better to stay out of the house.

Then came the very routine procedures: waiting for the vehicle to come and take away the body, giving an oral statement, and so on. After everything was done, I looked at Fang Lei, only to see her gently shake her head at me. It seemed that the autopsy report was destined to be out of my reach.

On the way back to the police station, I sat next to Fang Lei. She was indeed beautiful; even the way she held the steering wheel was stunning. It was just the two of us in the car, since it was her private vehicle. When she invited me to ride with her earlier, I could clearly feel the envious glances from my colleagues behind us. But only I knew that this beautiful woman was not someone to be trifled with. So I was very direct and immediately told her everything about my date with Lao Cao and the reasons for the date, giving off a "confessing is better than doing anything" vibe.

"It seems you're not the only one who wants that autopsy report." Fang Lei frowned.

"Yeah!" I rubbed my temples, my head was spinning, and it felt like Lao Cao's corpse was still right in front of me. "What's worse is that Chen Kai seems to be very suspicious of me now."

"But you really should be grateful for that car accident, otherwise you might have arrived at the scene even before Chen Kai and the others. At that time, you probably wouldn't be able to clear your name even if you jumped into the Yellow River!"

"I guess I can't clear my name in Chen Kai's eyes now!" I slapped the car window in frustration. I've been having the worst luck lately. When bad luck strikes, it's unstoppable!

"Don't worry, no matter what, there needs to be a motive for murder. You didn't have a reason to kill him," Fang Lei comforted me.

"Yes!" I sighed, looking out the window. The moon was long hidden by dark clouds, and there were few cars on the highway under the dim streetlights. It was quiet all around, with only the roar of engines and my own breathing mingling. The long highway seemed like an endless, terrible nightmare that had lingered for years, taking me back to that night when I was running alone on my way to Yin Xue's house. It was the same moonless night, the same dim streetlights, the same silence broken only by the panting of my breath, and the same long, seemingly endless road. A sharp pain shot through my head, and Lao Cao's face and Yin Xue's face overlapped in front of me. Gradually, Lao Cao's face became increasingly ashen, and dark red blood flowed from his bulging eyes. I could even smell the stench of a rotting corpse. Yin Xue's face gradually blurred, and I couldn't even make out her features. The two faces kept overlapping and twisting, and I felt a sharp pain in my head, as if something was about to explode from inside. What terrified me even more was that I realized Yin Xue's face was gradually becoming clearer, but it was no longer Yin Xue's appearance. It was the face of that mysterious woman, only no longer beautiful, but a withered, bluish-gray dead face. And flowing from her yellowish eyes was a murky, reddish-yellow liquid mixed with adipocere.

"Lin Xiao, Lin Xiao! What's wrong?" Fang Lei's voice seemed to come from a very distant place. I shook my head vigorously, hoping to shake away the hallucination I had just experienced. Looking up, I saw that the car had already stopped in the zebra crossing area, and Fang Lei was looking at me with a nervous expression.

"No, it's nothing, I'm probably just tired!" I sat up straight, only to find that my whole body ached, as if I had just run several kilometers.

"You looked terrifying just now!" Fang Lei stared at me, and I could see the concern in her eyes. If something really happened to me, it would be worth it to have such a beautiful woman worry about me!

"The jade pendant was glowing just now." Fang Lei's words startled me. I didn't know whether it was Fang Lei's call or the jade pendant that woke me from my hallucination. I touched the jade pendant on my chest, and a warm current flowed into my fingers, just like Yin Xue's embrace.

"Do you love her very much?" Fang Lei suddenly asked.

"Huh?" I clutched the jade pendant tightly, unsure how to answer.

"The person who gave you the jade pendant must be a girl!"

"How did you know?" I asked Fang Lei stupidly. Fang Lei winked at me playfully, and I wondered if I was still in the hallucination I had just experienced.

"That's a woman's intuition!"

"Oh, yes!" I nodded, feeling a pang of sadness. If Yin Xue hadn't run into me, would she still be alive and well in this world right now?

"Tell me about her!" Fang Lei shifted her position in her seat, but it seemed she had no intention of continuing to drive for the time being.

"Huh?" My mind was clearly not fully clear yet, which made me react slowly.

"Just tell me her name, what she looks like, how you two got together, and where she is now, things like that!"

Where is she now? I smiled bitterly. If people are reincarnated, she must have already been reincarnated! I leaned back in my chair and looked at Fang Lei's beautiful face. I suddenly had a strange feeling, as if the person sitting next to me was not Fang Lei, but Yin Xue, looking at me with her gentle eyes as always, forever.

Volume One: The Three Ghosts of the City, Chapter Fourteen: The Arrival of the Young Girl Cao Ying

Volume One: The Three Ghosts of the City, Chapter Fourteen: The Arrival of the Young Girl Cao Ying

I stared at Old Cao on the autopsy table. Beneath the white sheet lay a naked corpse. Everyone is the same; they come into this world and leave it just as they came into it, taking nothing with them. At most, they'll need a box about the size of themselves. Of course, burial isn't encouraged these days, so even a coffin can be omitted; an urn is enough. I smiled unconsciously. God forgive me; I wasn't mocking Old Cao.

"Knock, knock!" A knocking sound rang out. It was unclear who it was, because Li Yang never liked to knock, and Fang Lei had taken the day off.

"Please come in," I replied weakly. These past few days had been incredibly busy. On one hand, I had to deal with Old Cao's body, and on the other hand, I had to be wary of Chen Kai's gaze, who was treating me like a murderer. And what was worse, Fang Lei had started taking leave after that night. I wondered if I had acted too impulsively that day? Li Yang was also on extended leave; losing two allies was truly unpleasant. I began to miss Li Yang endlessly; even his habit of not knocking before entering seemed like a charming little ray of sunshine.

The girl who entered through the door was short-haired, with honey-colored skin, chic short black hair, and delicate features that made her look like an angel from an oil painting. I couldn't help but whistle inwardly; she really was stunning.

"Hello, my name is Cao Ying." The girl looked directly into my eyes, which made me feel a strange fright. I felt like her gaze was a knife cutting through my clothes and seeing into my heart.

"Cao Ying? Hello, I'm Lin Xiao." I tried to remain calm and introduced myself. Suddenly, an idea struck me—she also had the surname Cao, so it couldn't be...

I couldn't help but glance at Old Cao on the stage, and my eyelids twitched involuntarily again. Trouble was brewing. Sure enough, what the girl said almost made me faint.

"He is my father in name only," Cao Ying said mechanically, as if the person lying on the stage was merely a corpse, not her relative. Her indifferent tone cast doubt on the credibility of her words.

I think my expression must be incredibly awkward right now. I never imagined Old Cao would have a daughter, nor did I expect a young girl to be so calm in the face of her father's corpse. So calm that I even wondered if there was something wrong with my hearing or my eyes. Shouldn't she be weeping uncontrollably, heartbroken? My mind is completely blank; I don't even know what to say. Should I offer my condolences or tell her not to cry (even though she didn't)?

“You’re not the murderer,” Cao Ying continued, and I was about to bend over again. Was that all she wanted to say?

"Huh?" I reached out and grabbed the dissection table, hoping I wouldn't fall over on the spot.

“Your eyes only hold sorrow, not murderous intent.” Cao Ying walked past me, gazing at Old Cao’s corpse. “And I believe he wouldn’t have chosen the wrong person.”

I thought I heard a hint of tenderness in her tone, but looking at her cold face, it seems I was just imagining things.

Cao Ying turned away, and I couldn't see her face. I only felt her entire back tense—an animal instinct that manifests when faced with significant change. Suddenly, I felt a profound sadness and anger, permeating the air. Time seemed to slow down, and I almost suffocated in the oppressive silence. I didn't know how to comfort this young woman; would any words of comfort be too inadequate?

"Did you get anything? Did he give it to you?" Cao Ying turned to me, her expression still cold. Is this the popular expression for beautiful women these days?

"What is it?" I asked back.

"The autopsy report," Cao Ying replied.

"Oh, no." I don't know how she found out about this, so I can only wait and see.

"He called me that day and said he would give me an autopsy report, and that I could come to you if I wanted to investigate the matter further." Cao Ying said a lot in one breath, but the more I listened, the more confused I became, completely lost.

"Didn't he explain everything to you clearly?" Cao Ying's tone was a little displeased. But Miss, I'm not a know-it-all; everything needs to be done slowly. Thinking of this, I pulled up a chair and sat down. "He can't explain it to me clearly anymore, but maybe you can."

"Since you didn't get that report, I don't think there's any need for us to cooperate anymore." After saying that, Cao Ying coolly tossed her head and walked towards the door without looking back. Ha, what a temper!

I darted to her with the speed of a rabbit and slammed the door that Cao Ying had opened shut.

"You didn't tell Chen Kai about the report, did you?" I had a headache. I really didn't know what this young lady's intentions were.