Zyklon-Säbel

Kapitel 11

"I'll figure something out." I don't know why, but whenever I encounter a difficult case, I get more excited and motivated. Every corpse has its injustice, and every corpse is the best evidence. Who says corpses are useless? They can speak and expose all the evil. The truth is always hidden in every corpse.

And now, I have no idea that this skull, this seemingly unrelated case to the other Heart Lake murders, has opened up a new path for the Heart Lake murders, made the subsequent investigation more dramatic, and gradually brought the evil behind the scenes to the surface.

Book One: The Three Ghosts of the City, Chapter Twenty-Three: Science vs. Magic

Book One: The Three Ghosts of the City, Chapter Twenty-Three: Science vs. Magic

"How's your skull?" Fang Lei suddenly appeared out of nowhere and blurted out this question, making me almost spit out the water in my mouth.

After calming myself down, I replied, "Please, my skull is perfectly fine! Don't say that, okay?"

A mischievous glint flashed in Fang Lei's eyes. She shrugged and said, "What I mean is, have you made any progress? Do you need my help?"

"How can you help?" I put down my cup and glanced at the computer screen next to me.

"I'll use magic to restore your skull to its original state." Fang Lei's words surprised me greatly. I didn't expect magic to have such benefits. In that case, wouldn't all forensic identification become a burden?

"Don't believe me? Actually, this is a spell developed from restoration magic, and I invented it!" Fang Lei's tone was very proud, like a proud princess.

"Oh? Really?" I find it hard to believe that Fang Lei, a forensic doctor and a practitioner of magic, possesses such abilities. Clearly, this heroine Fang is not to be underestimated!

"Don't forget, although I know magic, I'm also a forensic pathologist. I've been researching how to apply magic to forensic identification," Fang Lei replied seriously, indicating that she wasn't just saying it casually.

I looked at Fang Lei's face. The afternoon sun streamed in through the window, illuminating her beautiful features. The golden sunlight bathed her fair skin, giving it a shimmering, golden glow. She looked like an angel. Once upon a time, I too had an angel, but I failed to hold onto her, and she vanished before my eyes. I wonder if this angel will stay for me this time?

Shaking my head, I snapped out of my thoughts and smiled as I asked the angel before me, "Has anyone ever told you that you are beautiful?"

Fang Lei was taken aback for a moment, and a blush appeared on her face. She said in a coquettish tone, like a little girl, "I'm talking to you about serious business!"

I chuckled awkwardly a few times, and to avoid leaving a bad impression of being irresponsible in the eyes of the beautiful woman, I quickly replied in a serious tone, "Okay, let's talk business! Do you really have such magic?"

"Yes, would you like to try it?"

I tilted my head and thought for a while. It is indeed a very useful method nowadays, but unfortunately, no matter how effective it is, it cannot become a result of forensic examination, let alone evidence. Should I tell the police or judge that this is the original shape of the skull, and that it was created using magic? I'd probably be considered superstitious or crazy!

"It's a method, but unfortunately it's useless and can't be used as evidence!" I shrugged, looking helpless.

"I didn't ask you to use it as evidence; it's just for reference," Fang Lei replied.

"Let's wait a bit, because I'm using another method, a scientific one." I smiled and pointed to the computer screen next to me. "Come and take a look."

Fang Lei walked over and sat down next to me, leaning over the computer screen. When I turned my head, I saw her neck; her delicate skin had a healthy pinkish hue, and her smooth neck made me want to touch it. A faint fragrance wafted from her, the subtle scent of a virgin that sent a surge of heat through my lower abdomen. Good heavens! It was truly tempting! I swallowed hard, struggling to shift my gaze back to the computer screen, but my mind was still filled with the image of Fang Lei's silky skin.

"What is this?" Fang Lei's words immediately snapped me out of my bad thoughts.

“This is craniotomy,” I replied, pointing to the skull image on the computer screen.

"Is it really craniotomy? I didn't expect the technology to be so advanced!" Fang Lei said excitedly. After all, as a forensic doctor, she was very interested in this high-tech thing.

I smiled. Her reaction was the same as when Lao Cao told me he had secured the equipment—the same joy and excitement. This technology is widely used in forensic medicine abroad, but in my country, it's still in its infancy. Many components still need to be imported, and at considerable cost. Lao Cao had submitted countless reports to his superiors to obtain this equipment, but unfortunately, by the time it was needed, he was already gone.

Cranial superposition is a technique developed based on the experience of countless forensic pioneers and the principles of forensic anthropology. By taking data from various points on the skull based on factors such as race and gender—essentially computer-generated muscle thickness values—it's possible to roughly superimpose a person's skull image. However, currently, the available data is limited. I can only determine that the skull belonged to a woman under thirty of Asian descent. I hope this cranial superposition technique will lead to a breakthrough. I have some confidence in this new technology because there have been several successful cases solved using cranial superposition in forensic history. But it requires time and patience. I have the patience, but time is a major headache; the higher-ups want to solve the case as quickly as possible. It seems that using magic might be a shortcut. Thinking this, I sighed and said to Fang Lei, "This technique takes a long time, so perhaps we can try the magic you mentioned first. As for evidence, we can discuss that after the technical analysis is complete, how about that?"

"I have no problem. The problem is, even if we get the results, what are you going to do? Tell Chen Kai? Do you think he'll believe it?" Fang Lei frowned and asked.

“That is indeed a problem.” I straightened up and thought for a moment. “But it’s better than waiting. We need to solve the problem as quickly as possible.” Now is not the time to discuss whether Chen Kai will believe it. At worst, I can just tell him that this is the result of the craniotomy. The real problem is whether Fang Lei’s method is reliable. I don’t want to give Chen Kai one answer and then another; he’d probably kill me.

Perhaps Fang Lei sensed my concerns, because she said, "Don't worry, I'm still confident about this."

"Well... okay!" I nodded in agreement.

Fang Lei nodded and went to the lab table. The skull was lying there, its empty eye sockets seemingly telling a story of injustice, which made people feel sad. The obvious knife marks, on the other hand, made people shudder and their scalps tingle.

Fang Lei raised her hands to her chest, forming a gesture resembling a Buddha's hand mudra, and muttered incantations. She was chanting so fast I couldn't understand a word she was saying. Gradually, a green mist seemed to rise around the skull, or perhaps tiny green beads of light, forming a small vortex around it, with the skull at its center. As the green beads increased, the remaining human tissue on the skull began to move, like countless wriggling worms, and then it continued to grow. Yes, grow. I really didn't know what word to use to describe this skull; the flesh grew wildly like grass, gradually forming a human face—the face of a beautiful young woman.

"Appear!" Fang Lei suddenly shouted, and a lotus seal materialized from her hand, which was then imprinted on the skull. The skull immediately displayed an exceptionally clear human face, but unfortunately, it only lasted for a few seconds before disappearing. The skull returned to its original state, as if everything that had just happened was merely a hallucination.

Looking at Fang Lei, her face was very pale, and she was sweating profusely. She was even swaying. I rushed forward and supported her. The feeling of holding her warm and fragrant body made me feel like I was floating on air. Her soft body felt like it had no bones. What's more, she smelled so good and didn't have any sweaty smell at all.

"What's wrong?" I asked with concern.

"It's nothing, it's just that this is the first time I've used this spell, and I'm a little unfamiliar with it," Fang Lei replied weakly.

What? First time using it? I almost fainted and rolled my eyes. This time it was my turn to sweat, and I was sweating buckets.

"Um, um..." I hesitated, then stammered, "Is it only going to appear for such a short time?"

"Don't worry, I've already written it down. I'll draw it for you later!" Fang Lei broke free from my embrace and stood aside, which made me feel a sense of loss. I stared at her for a while, unwilling to give up.

"So, how are you going to thank me?" Fang Lei asked.

Thanks? I'd rather repay you with my body, I thought to myself, though of course I couldn't say that aloud. I scratched my head and said ingratiatingly, "How about I treat you to dinner?"

"Hmm?" Fang Lei tilted her head and thought for a moment. "Okay, but I want to have a good meal!"

Oh no, I've been scammed again! I touched my wallet in my pocket. Money, money, you're going to disappear again!

Book One: Three Ghost Stories of the City, Chapter Twenty-Four: The Mysterious Old House

Book One: Three Ghost Stories of the City, Chapter Twenty-Four: The Mysterious Old House

After watching Fang Lei's taxi drive away, I looked at my wallet and was overwhelmed with sorrow. I never imagined that this French meal would cost me more than two thousand yuan! More than two thousand yuan! It's all my hard-earned money! Why did those damn Frenchmen come up with such an expensive dish? I muttered to myself and kicked an empty bottle far away.

Following the bottle, I suddenly saw a woman across the street. Her light green dress accentuated her shapely figure, but what shocked me wasn't her ethereal beauty, but rather the fact that this woman was the same woman from my older sister's computer, the same woman I'd met at the Black Forest bar that day. Suddenly, the world seemed to fall silent; I could only hear my heavy breathing and my increasingly rapid heartbeat. The woman stood gracefully across the street, smiling at me, her eyes fixed on me. My palms instantly became cold and clammy; I knew it was from cold sweat. Just as I hesitated whether to cross over, the woman suddenly turned gracefully and walked forward.

There was no time to hesitate. I immediately followed. For some reason, even though it was night and we were quite a distance apart, I could see her face very clearly, even the lividity on the side of her cheek. She walked very fast, almost too fast for me to keep up. But just when I thought I was going to lose her, she suddenly slowed down. After I caught up, she deliberately kept a distance from me. I had a vague feeling that she was leading me somewhere. Sweat rolled down my cheeks, and I could feel my hands trembling uncontrollably.

The woman walked further and further into the secluded area, one of the few remaining old-style villas in the city. This area had once been a residential district teeming with foreigners and wealthy merchants before liberation. Now, however, it was desolate. Under the dim yellow light, the dilapidated iron gate and the rustling fallen leaves added to its bleak atmosphere. The woman's figure drifted aimlessly, and Xi Zhou remained eerily quiet. The walls of the villas on either side formed a narrow, seemingly endless path. The further I walked, the more suffocated I felt, my head spinning. The walls seemed to be constantly growing taller, imprisoning me in a confined space. Gradually, the scenery around Xi Zhou began to distort and spin. I don't know how I managed to keep going; my hands, gripping the walls, grew weaker and weaker. Finally, I saw the woman stop, standing before an iron gate that I almost thought was about to collapse. Inside the gate were tall sycamore trees, their shadows dappled in the swaying moonlight. A Western-style house was vaguely visible through the shadows of the trees, but there were too many trees, and it was nighttime, so I couldn't make out its features. I patted my chest, trying to shake off the stuffiness; my breathing was rapid, my fingers felt numb, and my legs were weak. Gritting my teeth, I looked at the address sign next to the iron gate, and could vaguely make out the following on the mottled rust: No. 77, Ancient Locust Street.

When I turned to look at the woman, I found her already inside the iron gate, standing under a large tree. I rushed over, but the iron gate, which I thought was about to collapse, was much sturdier than I had imagined; no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't open it. My strength was slowly draining from my body, and I felt as if many stars were spinning before my eyes. The woman's face gradually became blurry, but the blood flowing from her dark, empty eyes was an unusually glaring red.

※※※

"You dead pig, get up! Don't you want to go to work today?" I could almost hear my older sister yelling in my ears. I tried to open my eyes, but my splitting headache made me close them again immediately.

"Still sleeping?" My older sister seemed to be yelling right next to my ear. A chill ran down my spine as the blanket was pulled off.

I immediately jumped out of bed and found myself lying perfectly still in my own bed, with my angry older sister standing by the bed, holding my warm blanket in her hand.

"How did I get here?" I touched my forehead. Thankfully, I didn't have a fever.

"Where do you want to be? Get up, you're going to be late for work!" My older sister threw the clothes at me.

"How did I get back yesterday?" I clearly remember following that mysterious woman to a mysterious old house last night. It was No. 77, Guhuai Street. I remember it very clearly.

My older sister gave me a strange look and said, "How did you get back? You walked back, of course!"

"Am I alone?" I immediately asked.

"Yes, you're all alone!" my older sister said after thinking for a moment. "But when you came back last night, you looked terrible, so pale it was frightening. I asked you what was wrong, but you wouldn't answer me and just went straight to bed and fell asleep. I had to help you take off your clothes and cover you with the blanket!"

"Really?" I laughed awkwardly. It seemed that what happened last night wasn't a dream. But how did I end up back here? I had absolutely no recollection of it. I racked my brains but couldn't figure it out. Did I really have amnesia?

"What are you thinking about? Look at the time!" My older sister suddenly placed the alarm clock in front of me, and then I yelled "Wow!" and scrambled into the bathroom.

※※※

I sat in the taxi, gazing at the scenery outside the window, then checked my watch, hoping I wouldn't be late. 77 Guhuai Street, I silently repeated the address to myself. Although I'd only been in this city for less than three years and had traveled to quite a few places, why had I never heard of Guhuai Street before?

Looking at the taxi driver beside me, who seemed to be in his forties or fifties, I thought, "Aren't taxi drivers supposed to be living maps of the city?" Having made up my mind, I casually asked, "Sir, have you been driving a taxi for quite a few years?"

"Yes, it's been almost twenty years. I'm a veteran in this industry!" the driver said with a smug look on his face.

“Oh, then you must be very familiar with this city?” I asked.

"Of course, there's nothing in this place I don't know. In our line of work, who wouldn't know it well?"

"Yes, yes! May I ask you for directions to a place?" I said with a forced smile.

"Sure, go ahead and say it!" The driver was quite generous and immediately told me to continue.

"That's it, No. 77, Guhuai Street." As soon as I finished speaking, the driver's expression changed drastically, and he slammed on the brakes.

"Screech~~~~~~~!" The ear-piercing sound of brakes rang out, and I lost my balance and slammed forward. Luckily, I was wearing a seatbelt, which saved me from hitting my forehead on the glass.

"What are you doing?" I grabbed the handrail next to me and questioned the driver. The road conditions ahead were fine, and there was absolutely no reason to brake so suddenly.

The driver glanced at me, silently shifted gears, and the car started moving again.

"I don't know," the driver answered coldly. I could hear the tremor and fear in his voice; it wasn't feigned. I wanted to ask more, but seeing the driver's stern face and silence, I didn't dare to press the matter. The atmosphere in the car grew cold, broken only by the roar of the engine. We remained silent until we arrived at the police station.

I paid the fare, took the receipt from the driver, and was hesitating whether to say goodbye when the driver suddenly spoke up: "Young man, it's best not to ask about that place anymore." Without another word, he stepped on the gas and sped away, leaving me standing there dumbfounded.

Book One: The Three Ghosts of the City, Chapter Twenty-Five: Li Yang and Cao Ying

Book One: The Three Ghosts of the City, Chapter Twenty-Five: Li Yang and Cao Ying

"Lin Xiao!" A familiar voice came from behind me. I turned around and saw Li Yang and Cao Ying.

"How did you two end up together?" I asked curiously. It seemed that Cao Ying was alright, and I had worried myself sick for nothing.

"It's a long story, let's go!" Li Yang dragged me away.

"Wait, wait!" I stopped and asked, "Where are we going? I have to go to work, I'm going to be late!" I pointed to my watch; I didn't want my bonus to be docked.

"Don't worry, I've already asked Chen Kai for a day off for you!" Li Yang replied calmly.

"What? Take leave? Did I ask you to do that?" I turned my head away angrily.

"Hey, there's a crucial clue in the Xinhu murder case, do you want to listen?" Cao Ying patted me and asked.

"Sigh, you've already arranged the leave for me, how can I refuse?" I sighed and let them drag me back into the car.

※※※

The three of us went into a teahouse. As soon as we sat down, Li Yang couldn't wait to take out a tape recorder and said to me, "Do you remember when I told you that I went to ask Shen Jian, the only survivor in the Xinhu murder case?"

"I remember you said you couldn't get any answers from me?" I asked.

“Yes, because he only knows how to hum tunes that nobody can understand, like this.” Li Yang pressed the run button, and a man’s indistinct voice came from the tape recorder, humming something that sounded like a song, or perhaps he was just muttering to himself.

"What is he humming?" I asked.

"Have you ever heard of Kunqu Opera?" Cao Ying suddenly asked, and I shook my head.

"Kunqu Opera is a very ancient opera genre with a very long history, and the International Organization for Cultural Heritage has officially listed it as one of the world cultural heritages. However, its popularity is far less than that of Peking Opera, and now very few people know how to appreciate it," Cao Ying replied.