CS: K9 GF | Chapter 2 – The Female Corpse in the Bathroom

As soon as the bearded man opened the door, a wave of foul stench rushed toward Luo Fei.

This was definitely not the smell of an ordinary dead animal.

The odor was far too strong.

Combined with the man's guarded behavior and hostile expression, Luo Fei became increasingly convinced that something was wrong.

Suppressing his unease, he put on a polite smile.

"Sorry to bother you. The woman next door has lost her cat, and I'd like to ask a few questions. Have you seen a black-and-white tabby cat anytime between yesterday morning at eleven and now?"

"No."

The bearded man shook his head impatiently.

"Alright. If you happen to see it, please contact us."

After speaking, Luo Fei turned and walked away.

Originally, he had planned to enter the apartment and investigate the source of the foul smell himself. However, after seeing the man's intimidating build, fierce appearance, and comparing it to his own skinny frame, he immediately changed his mind.

If he walked in and actually discovered something suspicious, he might end up getting killed on the spot.

He had no intention of becoming one of those foolish police officers from his own mystery novels—the kind who recklessly barged into danger and ended up murdered by the culprit.

The chances of that happening in real life were admittedly low, but caution never hurt anyone.

Luo Fei decided it would be safer to bring Zhang Haiyang along before investigating further.

For the first time, he deeply wished he possessed real strength.

A person's confidence came from their capabilities.

If he were stronger, he wouldn't have lost his nerve just now.

It's said that ants can lift hundreds of times their own body weight, while humans can only manage a fraction of that. If I fused the Ant Strength Gene, how much stronger would I become?

Lost in thought, Luo Fei was about to return to Apartment 808 when he spotted Zhang Haiyang already walking toward him down the hallway.

"Well? Find anything?" Zhang Haiyang asked casually.

Luo Fei nodded.

"The bathroom window in Ms. Zhang's apartment is close to the balcony of Apartment 828, so I went over to ask the owner a few questions. He said he hadn't seen the cat, but when I was leaving, I think I heard a cat meowing inside. Also, there was a strong foul smell coming from the apartment—like the odor of a dead animal."

In order to persuade Zhang Haiyang to investigate the smell, Luo Fei shamelessly added a small lie.

"Let's go."

The moment he heard there might be a cat inside, Zhang Haiyang headed straight for Apartment 828 without hesitation.

This time, Luo Fei knocked on the door again.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

After a lengthy pause, the bearded man finally opened the door.

Just like before, he only cracked it open slightly.

His expression was even more irritated than earlier.

"What now?"

Having spent over twenty years as a police officer, Zhang Haiyang had dealt with every kind of person imaginable.

This was hardly enough to rattle him.

"The cat belonging to the woman next door is missing. My colleague believes he heard a cat inside your apartment, so we'd like to take a look around."

The bearded man immediately shot Luo Fei a glare.

"I already told you—I haven't seen any cat, and I haven't heard any cat. Stop bothering me."

With that, he tried to slam the door shut.

However, Zhang Haiyang immediately planted a hand against the door, preventing it from closing.

When the man had opened the door moments earlier, Zhang Haiyang had finally caught the foul odor for himself.

There was no mistaking it.

It was the smell of decomposition.

Combined with the man's suspicious behavior, Zhang Haiyang's decades of investigative experience told him one thing:

Something was very wrong.

"Sir, please cooperate with our investigation."

His tone turned cold and authoritative.

Taking advantage of the man's momentary distraction, Luo Fei stepped forward and shoved the door fully open before slipping inside.

The stench intensified instantly.

Looking around, he surveyed the apartment.

The small living room was a complete mess.

Empty liquor bottles and cigarette butts littered the floor.

Peanut shells and sunflower seed husks were scattered across the coffee table.

Meanwhile, a legal affairs television program played on the TV.

The scene felt strangely familiar.

Then Luo Fei realized why.

This looked exactly like the crime scenes he used to write in his mystery novels.

After Luo Fei entered, Zhang Haiyang followed him inside.

"You."

He pointed directly at the bearded man.

"Sit down on the couch."

His expression had become extremely serious.

The smell of decomposition, the chaotic apartment, and the man's suspicious behavior all triggered warning bells in the veteran officer's mind.

Luo Fei also kept his eyes fixed on the suspect, ready to react if he made any sudden movements.

At this point, it was impossible to believe the man wasn't involved in something criminal.

"Luo Fei, go find the source of that smell. See what it is."

Zhang Haiyang deliberately assigned the task to him.

There was no way he was going to leave an inexperienced trainee alone to watch a potential murderer.

If the man panicked and attacked, Luo Fei would be in serious danger.

"Understood."

Luo Fei immediately headed toward the back of the apartment.

The moment he had entered, his enhanced sense of smell had already identified the bathroom as the primary source of the odor.

A few seconds later—

"Ugh!"

He nearly vomited.

Inside the bathtub lay the bloated corpse of a woman.

She was dressed only in her underwear and submerged in a pool of blood.

Her pale, swollen body emitted a nauseating stench.

Rotting wounds covered her neck, arms, and waist, creating a horrifying sight.

Luo Fei had written scenes like this countless times in his novels.

But this was the first time he had ever seen something like it in real life.

And from such close range.

His stomach churned.

"Luo Fei! What's going on?"

Zhang Haiyang's anxious voice echoed from the living room.

Face pale, Luo Fei staggered backward and hurried out of the bathroom.

Only after confirming that the bearded man was still sitting on the couch did he speak.

"There's… there's a woman's corpse in the bathtub."

Even now, his voice trembled.

In two lifetimes, this was the first time he had ever stood so close to a dead body.

And not just any corpse.

This was a gruesome murder scene.

Worse still, the suspected killer was sitting only a few meters away.

Zhang Haiyang's expression changed immediately.

Although he had already suspected something serious, hearing confirmation of a body still shocked him.

The next second, he sprang into action.

"Don't move!"

His voice rang through the room.

"We suspect you of murder. You are now under arrest."

As he spoke, Zhang Haiyang pulled a pair of handcuffs from his belt.

With practiced speed, he secured one cuff around the suspect's wrist and attached the other to the heavy coffee table.

Despite his calm demeanor, he was extremely tense.

After all, this was a suspected murderer.

A single mistake could be fatal.

Nearby, Luo Fei remained on high alert, ready to rush forward if the man resisted.

As a trainee officer, he wasn't permitted to carry any equipment.

If he had at least possessed a baton or stun device, he might not have been so nervous.

Fortunately, everything went smoothly.

The bearded man offered no resistance and quietly allowed himself to be restrained.

Only after the handcuffs clicked into place did both officers finally breathe a sigh of relief.

With the suspect secured, the danger level dropped dramatically.

For now, at least, the situation was under control.