AD | Chapter 5

Lin Shuyao practically fled home.

Seven years. He had thought that seeing Lu Qingfeng again would not stir any waves in his heart. But when that person stood truly before his eyes, the desire to speak, accumulated over seven years, almost broke through his reason. He even wanted to directly tell him the reasons for their breakup and the death of his sister.

But he couldn’t.

He had to continue investigating, because his sister’s death was a knot in his heart that he could not let go.

The sound of the key turning in the lock was exceptionally clear in the silence. He pushed open the door, and the room was pitch black. He fumbled for the switch. The old fluorescent tube flickered twice before reluctantly emitting a dim yellow light.

The scene inside the room was barely illuminated by the light. The floor was mopped clean, and there was not a speck of dust on the furniture. It didn’t seem like a place where someone lived.

He changed into slippers, walked to the center of the room, and stopped in front of a black-and-white photo frame. His fingertips touched the cold glass.

The woman in the photo had gentle features, but she was forever frozen in her twenties.

“Sister,” his voice was as light as a sigh. “It’s been seven years… Every time I close my eyes, I see your final appearance. I must find out the cause of your death…”

Early the next morning, the vibration of his phone woke Lin Shuyao from his sleep. He rubbed his eyes, fumbled to answer the call. “Hello?”

“Still asleep, Doctor Lin?” Lu Qingfeng said.

Ignoring the teasing in Lu Qingfeng’s words, he rubbed his sore brow and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“I’m waiting for you in the downstairs parking lot. Come down and you’ll know~” After saying this, without waiting for an answer, Lu Qingfeng hung up directly.

Lin Shuyao looked at his phone and sighed helplessly. “Crazy.”

As soon as he entered the parking lot, he found Lu Qingfeng’s car parked at the entrance. Seeing him approach, Lu Qingfeng waved at him. After Lin Shuyao got into the car, Lu Qingfeng spoke. “Doctor Lin, it seems the traffic police won’t need to call you. Another female corpse has appeared at Taining Mountain. We need to go there now.”

Hearing this, Lin Shuyao asked, “So fast? Three deceased persons appeared in just one night.”

Lu Qingfeng nodded and sighed. “Sigh, I have to say, Doctor Lin, you really have the style of modern-day Conan. You guessed it right. This case is very likely a serial killing. In just one short night, three victims have appeared. It’s inevitable that a fourth victim might appear. Our time to solve the case is extremely tight!”

Lin Shuyao frowned slightly. “So, what is the situation at the scene? Is it the same as the previous bodies?”

“I don’t know about that. I was just notified that another deceased person had appeared. As soon as I received the notification, I thought of you,” Lu Qingfeng replied.

Lin Shuyao: “…” So I should thank you, then?

“However, this time is quite rare. Not long after the third deceased person appeared, the family suddenly rushed to the scene to identify the body. Isn’t that strange?” Hearing this, Lin Shuyao finally understood. He then said, “It is indeed strange. Although the family of the first deceased person was found, they refused to claim the body. And the identity of the second deceased person, you probably haven’t confirmed clearly yet. The social relationships of the first two deceased persons haven’t been investigated clearly, and now a third deceased person has appeared. The killer is playing a game of cat and mouse. He is the mouse, and we are the cats being played around.”

“That is exactly the problem,” Lu Qingfeng paused for a moment, drove out of the parking lot, and then continued. “The killer seems to have included some provocative behavior in his crimes. But I haven’t figured out why he is specifically provoking the police. However, the clues we currently have are too few. These clues alone are not enough to explain anything.”

“Indeed, they are not enough to explain anything. But there are a few points you can at least start investigating,” Lin Shuyao took over the conversation.

“First, the case of the pregnant woman falling off the cliff mentioned by Jiang Huainan in the meeting. Second, the couple who reported the case. Third, the family of the third deceased person. Am I right?” Lu Qingfeng said.

“Yes, that is exactly what I mean,” Lin Shuyao nodded.

As they spoke, the two arrived at the crime scene. The yellow caution tape was still up, but this time, even the onlookers around Taining Mountain had increased. Some were even taking photos with cameras.

Seeing this, Lu Qingfeng frowned. He first confiscated the person’s camera, issued a warning, and then let them go after seizing the camera.

However, probably because he turned around, Lu Qingfeng did not see the person subtly curl their lips at him. But this action was seen by Lin Shuyao beside him. Just as he was about to call out to the person, the other party disappeared into the crowd in a flash.

Lin Shuyao frowned, searching his memory for this person’s appearance. But he thought for a long time and had no impression of having seen this person before. But if he hadn’t seen him, why would the other party target them?

Before he could think it through, a hand suddenly appeared in front of his eyes and waved. Lin Shuyao stiffened, came back to his senses, and looked at Lu Qingfeng, confused. “What’s wrong?”

“What else? Doctor Lin, is your professional ability up to standard? How can you zone out during work hours? What were you thinking so intently? I called you several times,” Lu Qingfeng asked somewhat dissatisfied.

Lin Shuyao glanced again at the crowd outside the caution tape and then said leisurely, “Nothing. Maybe I saw wrong.” He said this very quietly, and Lu Qingfeng didn’t hear clearly. He was about to ask Lin Shuyao, but he heard the other party speak again. “Where is the body? Where is the body of the third deceased person?”

As he spoke, Lin Shuyao opened the box beside him and quickly put on shoe covers and gloves. Lu Qingfeng didn’t speak. He raised his hand and pointed to the body covered with a white cloth not far away. After hesitating for a moment, he said, “Over there. The body was supposed to be taken back for autopsy. But after the family accidentally saw the state of the death, one of the family members cried and fainted. They are still in the hospital. The other one is guarding there, not allowing anyone to touch the body. He even covered it with the white cloth himself. Tao Yu and the others planned to handle it forcibly, and he started shouting and making a scene at the scene, claiming that the police were beating people.”

“Captain Lu, if the body is not taken back to the autopsy room for examination, the cause of death cannot be determined, and the case cannot be solved. Moreover, according to Chinese law, for deceased persons with undetermined causes of death, the public security organs have the right to enforce an autopsy. Don’t you know this?” Lin Shuyao looked at him calmly.

Lu Qingfeng looked again at the body covered with the white cloth and then said, “Doctor Lin, of course I know this. I can also understand that as a forensic doctor, you must speak for the dead and uphold the rights of the living. Besides, time is urgent, and solving the case is imminent. If we talk about anxiety, I am more anxious than anyone else.”

He sighed heavily, took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, lit one, and took a deep drag before continuing. “But for this kind of family, no matter how anxious you are, it won’t help…”

Before Lu Qingfeng could finish speaking, Lin Shuyao suddenly understood. Without saying a word, he walked directly toward the direction of the white cloth. Not far away, Tao Yu and Jiang Huainan had just finished their investigation and walked over. Seeing this, Tao Yu asked confusedly, “Boss, what is Doctor Lin going over there for? Didn’t you say that the deceased’s family disagreed with the autopsy, and we would take the body back for forced autopsy after they left? And after the family member in the hospital woke up, didn’t they agree…”

Hearing this, Lu Qingfeng gave Tao Yu a tap and said, “The case is stuck here now. There is no breakthrough in the case. Even if the family agrees, they will cause trouble at the public security bureau after the autopsy is completed at the municipal bureau. Moreover, the investigations of the first two deceased persons have made no progress. Instead of being in this stalemate, it is better to use the family as a breakthrough point to solve the case.”

Tao Yu scratched his head, somewhat half-understanding, and said, “But what does this have to do with Doctor Lin going over there?”

“Stupid. The boss means that although the family at the hospital agreed, the family guarding the crime scene has not agreed yet. The boss wants Doctor Lin to persuade them,” Jiang Huainan said.

Lu Qingfeng nodded, patting Jiang Huainan with an expression of “the student is teachable.” But he heard Tao Yu ask even more confusedly, “But shouldn’t persuading the family be our job? And why does a forensic doctor need to persuade the family?”

Hearing this, Lu Qingfeng shook his head helplessly and walked toward Lin Shuyao.

…

As for Lin Shuyao, after hearing Lu Qingfeng’s words, he instantly understood. In an instant, the scene of his sister lying on the ground, covered in blood with her eyes closed, suddenly appeared in his mind.

That’s right, this kind of thing indeed cannot be rushed. No one wants their loved ones, after death, to become a corpse that is dissected, unable to preserve even a complete skeleton. Because seven years ago, he had experienced it too.

When Lin Shuyao came back to his senses, he had already arrived in front of that family member. Lin Shuyao’s steps suddenly paused. He suddenly didn’t know how to start. If standing from the police’s perspective, he indeed had the obligation to persuade the family and get their consent for the autopsy. But if standing from the family’s perspective, he felt he couldn’t bring himself to say it, nor should he do so.

Before he could think it through, a hand suddenly grabbed his hand. Lin Shuyao was startled. He looked up and saw that the person was Lu Qingfeng.