Chapter 41: Official Investigation

The next day, Chen Shi took his damaged car to the repair shop and then headed to the municipal police bureau.

The 10.7 headless female corpse case had just been officially filed. That morning, they had a case discussion meeting. Lin Qiupu reiterated his theory: both the geographical location and the evidence pointed to the unconscious fugitive, Jia Mou. The investigation would focus on Jia Mou.

Lin Qiupu assigned tasks to Lin Dongxue and Xu Xiaodong, instructing them to assist Chen Shi in the investigation. Both were excited—one, because Lin Qiupu had finally decided to collaborate with Chen Shi; and two, because Xu Xiaodong was thrilled to be partnered with Lin Dongxue.

When Chen Shi arrived, the two were waiting at the bureau entrance. Xu Xiaodong eagerly said, “Chen, have you had breakfast? It’s on me!”

“Why are you so happy?” Chen Shi asked with a smile.

“Of course, I’m happy. Investigating a case with you means freedom and a chance to make a name for myself. And also…” He gave Lin Dongxue a meaningful glance.

“Don’t get too excited. Working with me isn’t easy.”

“Got it, got it. Let’s go, breakfast’s on me.”

“No, let’s get to work. Today, we need to identify the victim. Is Captain Peng back?”

Lin Dongxue replied, “He’s here, starting the autopsy now.”

“Without waiting for me!” Chen Shi quickly headed inside.

In the forensic lab, Peng Sijue and another forensic doctor were setting up a camera to document the corpse’s data. Chen Shi called from outside the curtain, “Captain Peng, may I come in?”

“Change your clothes first!”

“And don’t start cutting yet.”

Chen Shi put on sterilized protective clothing. Xu Xiaodong, looking uneasy, said, “I’ll skip the autopsy this time.”

Lin Dongxue placed a scented tissue inside her mask and said, “Coward!”

Xu Xiaodong grimaced, “I can’t handle the sight. I’ll wait outside. Contact me if you need anything.”

“Call the local police stations and ask if there are any recent missing persons fitting the victim’s description.”

“Got it!” Xu Xiaodong left, relieved.

Chen Shi asked Lin Dongxue, “Aren’t you scared?”

Lin Dongxue hesitated, then said, “If I’m scared of this, how can I handle things on my own in the future?”

“Good attitude.”

They entered the autopsy room, where Peng Sijue grumbled, “Took you long enough!”

“Sorry, changing clothes took time. Let me examine the body first.”

“Yesterday, you said the time of death was over forty-eight hours…”

“Was I wrong?”

Peng Sijue, expressionless, said, “We just measured the liver temperature. The time of death should be over fifty-eight hours. Now, you’re right.”

Chen Shi was momentarily confused, then realized Peng Sijue was joking. He laughed, “Thanks for the validation, Captain Peng.”

“Don’t get cocky. Estimating time of death is basic forensic work.”

“Right, right. I can only handle that. Beyond that, I’m just showing off.”

Chen Shi examined the skin and the ligature marks on the wrists. On a nearby rack was a piece of rope. The other forensic doctor explained, “This rope was brought in by Captain Lin last night. We compared it, and it matches.”

Chen Shi compared the rope, saying, “It matches, but it doesn’t prove it’s the same rope. This kind of nylon rope is used for long-distance transport and can be bought anywhere. Have you determined the binding position?”

“We were just discussing that,” the forensic doctor said, holding up a whiteboard with a diagram. The victim’s hands and feet were bound behind her back.

Chen Shi studied the diagram, then said, “No, what about the ligature marks on the ribs and back?”

“Maybe it was an extra binding,” Peng Sijue suggested.

Chen Shi examined the ligature marks closely, “Look, the marks aren’t uniform. They’re deeper at the ribs and lighter at the back, with a large gap on the back.”

“Something else was placed underneath,” Peng Sijue noted.

“What could it be? It must be something hard; otherwise, the ligature marks wouldn’t disappear completely…” Chen Shi’s eyes drifted to an empty iron bed. “Who’s willing to volunteer to lie down?”

Peng Sijue looked at Lin Dongxue. “Why are you looking at me?” she asked.

“You’re a woman.”

“So what?”

“The victim was also a woman.”

Defeated by his logic, Lin Dongxue was about to lie down when Chen Shi said, “No, Captain Peng, you do it.”

“Refuse!”

“Lin Dongxue is a girl; she might feel uncomfortable. We’re both men. You do it.”

After a moment of consideration, Peng Sijue lay on the iron bed. Chen Shi used the rope to mimic the binding. “Like this, your hands and feet tied under the table, then another rope across your body… But the back ligature marks suggest the object beneath is narrower than the body. The victim wasn’t overweight. What could be narrower than a person?”

“A bench!” Lin Dongxue exclaimed.

“But benches aren’t that common now. Used to be, but not anymore,” the forensic doctor said.

Peng Sijue added, “We found slight iron rust on the victim’s hands and legs during secondary evidence collection. It’s iron(III) oxide.”

Chen Shi immediately understood, “Fresh rust is iron(III) oxide, old rust is iron(II, III) oxide. So there’s metal support underneath, rusted… An iron-framed bench?”

Lin Dongxue searched on her phone and exclaimed, “Ah, I should have thought of this! Look, every unit has these!”

She showed her phone. It was a common canteen bench with an iron frame.

Peng Sijue adjusted his glasses, “These integrated canteen benches aren’t typically found in homes. The crime scene must be at a unit with a collective canteen.”

Lin Dongxue said, “We should go to the victim’s workplace immediately.”

“Do you know who she is?” Chen Shi retorted.

Peng Sijue said, “Let’s continue the autopsy.”

Back at the autopsy table, Peng Sijue examined the victim’s neck. “The cut is regular, with saw-toothed edges. It seems the head was sawn off.”

“I told Captain Lin that yesterday,” Chen Shi said nonchalantly.

“No significant external injuries. The cause of death is…”

“My guess is positional asphyxia.”

“Stop interrupting!” Peng Sijue glared at him. “Xiao Wang, help me turn the body over.”

Adjusting the body’s position, Peng Sijue pressed the livor mortis on the back, “Livor mortis has diffused, indicating the body was moved postmortem.”

He then noticed a small burn mark on the side of the ribs. Both he and Chen Shi examined it closely. Peng Sijue straightened up, “You’re blocking the light!”

Lin Dongxue stifled a laugh.

“It’s a burn, antemortem, with ash residue,” Peng Sijue said, taking a sample with a cotton swab.

Chen Shi felt the burn, “This burn wasn’t from direct contact with a cigarette. It looks like someone accidentally dropped ash on her.”

After examining the body further, Peng Sijue used forceps to inspect the vaginal area. “There are extensive abrasions on the vaginal wall, inflicted antemortem. The victim was forced into sexual acts, possibly by multiple people.”

“What position?” Chen Shi asked.

Lin Dongxue rolled her eyes, “Why are you always interested in that?”

Peng Sijue calmly said, “The abrasions are all on the ventral side.”

“So, the victim was penetrated from the front while bound. Given the ligature marks, she was tied up and gang-raped.”

“But there are no obvious external injuries. In most rape cases I’ve seen, there are always some injuries from resistance.”

“Maybe the victim was unconscious. Could she have been drunk?”

Peng Sijue considered Chen Shi’s suggestion, “Prepare for dissection!” he instructed his assistant.