Chapter 42: The Autopsy

What followed was a scene that made Lin Dongxue’s skin crawl. Peng Sijue, using a sharp scalpel, made an incision from the center of the deceased’s collarbone down, exposing the bloody rib cage and subcutaneous tissue.

Instinctively, Lin Dongxue turned away. Chen Shi whispered, “Scared?”

“Of course not!”

Peng Sijue and his assistant then used chest shears to cut the ribs one by one. Though the scene was gory, from a medical standpoint, the deceased was young, had no bad habits, and her internal organs were remarkably intact. Even Peng Sijue couldn’t help but sigh, “What a waste of such a young life.”

“Indeed, raising a daughter only to have her defiled by a bunch of animals. Imagine how heartbroken her parents must be,” Chen Shi added.

Peng Sijue, accustomed to working from top to bottom, first cut the trachea, while his assistant used a device similar to a blood recovery machine to suction the blood from the tissues.

Next, Peng Sijue opened the lungs, saying, “No abnormalities in the lungs…”

His eyes fixated on a spot, then he leaned in with tweezers to inspect the alveoli. “Are these alveoli slightly swollen?”

“There might be some pathological changes,” the assistant suggested.

“Let’s prepare a pathological slide.”

Following the direction of blood flow, Peng Sijue then dissected the cardiovascular system and proceeded to the liver. Chen Shi remarked, “I smell alcohol.”

Peng Sijue gave him a sidelong glance, reminding him that forensic analysis didn’t rely on smell alone. “The liver is slightly swollen and a bit pale, likely due to excessive alcohol consumption,” he concluded, taking samples for further testing.

Next was the stomach, whose contents are crucial for determining the time of death, the scene, and even the identity of the deceased.

Peng Sijue placed the intact stomach in a tray and made an incision. As the stomach contents spilled out, a nauseating smell akin to a drunkard’s vomit filled the room. Lin Dongxue, despite her mask, wrinkled her nose.

Using tweezers, Peng Sijue sifted through the semi-digested contents, pulling out pieces of celery, enoki mushrooms, and dried tofu, as well as some meat, identifying three types.

Chen Shi observed, “Pork, chicken, and fish… quite a feast.”

“And some alcohol,” Lin Dongxue added.

“Let’s see what we can deduce from this meal,” Chen Shi challenged.

“Um… the deceased’s family was wealthy?”

“Haha, interesting angle, but you’re wrong. The deceased was likely an ordinary office worker, barely making ends meet. Look at the lack of fat on her small intestine, indicating a modest diet. Also, calluses at the base of her fingers suggest she rode a bike regularly. And the nearly digested egg shell suggests she had an egg pancake for breakfast, implying she wasn’t well-off. This lavish meal was probably from a work or company dinner, given the variety but small portions.”

“Impressive deduction!” the assistant applauded.

Peng Sijue shot a glare at his assistant, who quickly lowered his head in embarrassment. “My job is to find facts. The deductions are up to you,” Peng Sijue said curtly.

“You’re no fun. Isn’t it enjoyable to deduce while dissecting?” Chen Shi teased.

Peng Sijue, staring into Chen Shi’s eyes, was reminded of an old friend who used to make similar comments, often engaging in long monologues.

Coincidence? He wondered briefly before refocusing on his work.

“Judging by the digestion, time of death was about three hours after the last meal. Combined with liver temperature, it should be around 9 PM on October 4th,” Peng Sijue stated, as his assistant jotted down notes.

“Agreed,” Chen Shi nodded, ignoring Peng Sijue’s glare.

“What’s this?” Peng Sijue picked out a small white particle, severely corroded by stomach acid. “It’s a pill.”

He placed it in a test tube for further analysis.

Chen Shi advised, “We should meticulously record the stomach contents, identify the dishes, and test the stomach acid. Some restaurants use additives, and frozen foods often have preservatives. This could lead us to the restaurant she dined at.”

“I don’t need your reminder!” Peng Sijue snapped.

“I was talking to her,” Chen Shi glanced at Lin Dongxue.

After dissecting the remaining organs, the autopsy concluded. As they left the lab, Chen Shi told Peng Sijue, “Captain Peng, let’s exchange contact information. Inform me when the tests are done.”

Peng Sijue, expressionless, pulled out his phone. “What bet did you make with Captain Lin this time?”

“He thinks this woman was killed by the fugitive caught at the concert. I don’t. What’s your take?” Chen Shi grinned.

“I don’t participate in your trivial bets.”

“Just let me know the results.”

“No need to tell me.”

As they left the tech department, Chen Shi lit a cigarette. Lin Dongxue asked, “What now?”

“Wait,” Chen Shi replied. “We can’t do anything until we get the test results.”

“Are you confident this time?” Lin Dongxue looked skeptical.

“You heard Peng Sijue. The victim was gang-raped. Your brother’s lead is fundamentally flawed.”

“Maybe the killer didn’t leave DNA. It could be the same person repeatedly raping…” Lin Dongxue blushed, realizing the implication of her words.

“Haha!” Chen Shi laughed. “You’re thinking critically. That’s progress!”

“Cut it out! Am I right?”

“I checked the fugitive’s previous crimes last night. Behavior patterns are consistent. Unless his personality drastically changed recently, it couldn’t be him.”

Just then, Xu Xiaodong came running with a stack of printed reports. “These are recent missing persons reports from the precincts and sub-bureaus.”

“Wow, that’s a lot!” Lin Dongxue exclaimed.

Chen Shi skimmed through a few pages. “Good job excluding the males.”

“The victim’s a woman, after all,” Xu Xiaodong said proudly.

“However, missing person reports typically take forty-eight hours to file. In special cases, it can be twenty-four. Most of these are from last week. Focus only on the reports from the 8th and 9th… I’ll leave this to you.”

“Where are you going?” Lin Dongxue called after him.

“I’m going home to catch some sleep,” Chen Shi replied.