Miss Forensics – Chapter 2

Volume One: First Scroll

Title: Court Appearance

Synopsis: Murder kills, but you… condemn the heart.

“Miss Lin, may I ask what your mindset is in testifying for the suspect?”

“Miss Lin, are you confident your autopsy results can convince the judge and influence the verdict?”

“It’s said the suspect’s father is the CEO of Xinye Company, and Lin Corporation has business dealings with them, is this true?”

“Miss Lin, there are rumors about you and Chairman Zhang of Zhongcheng Group heading towards good news…”

The moment she stepped out of the car, she was surrounded by media with no way through, camera flashes going wild, all sorts of long guns and short cannons [長槍短炮 | cháng qiāng duǎn pào | refers to camera equipment] thrust before her.

The butler protected her as they walked inside, bodyguards clearing the way ahead, yet the person at the center of this storm maintained an unperturbed expression [處變不驚 | chǔ biàn bù jīng | idiom meaning remaining calm in the face of emergency], not even raising an eyebrow at the various probing and strange questions.

Until—

Lin Yan removed her sunglasses, a playful smile tugging at her lips as she looked at the banners and wreaths placed at the bottom of the Supreme Court steps.

“Unethical forensic expert who testifies for murderers deserves to die!”

“Heartless monster who disregards human ethics, black-hearted forensic expert get out of the judicial system!”

“Young Miss—” the butler moved to intervene.

Lin Yan put her sunglasses back on, even whistling pleasantly: “Next time use a better-looking photo.”

The black and white photo on the wreath showed a woman with high-arched brows and prominent cheekbones, unlike the gentle and feminine beauty of traditional aesthetics, her gaze always carrying a hint of superiority, the slight smile at her lips seeming to mock this absurd world.

In the moments before the court session, Lin Yan changed into the institute’s uniform – a striped shirt under a white coat, different from regular doctors’ red cross arm patches and badges, with the institute’s initials in English on the chest and a deep blue pyramid-style logo.

With all preparations complete, the lawyer walked and talked with her: “The opposition comes well-prepared this time, is your evidence enough to support his acquittal?”

Lin Yan shrugged, indicating helplessness: “Whether he’s acquitted is up to the judge. I’m paid to do a job, only responsible for providing evidence in his favor, nothing else concerns me.”

As the trial began, the two-hour-plus tug of war between the lawyers made Lin Yan drowsy, but when the judge called her name, those usually indifferent eyes opened, flashing with unexpected sharpness.

She slowly stood up and walked to the witness stand.

The prosecution lawyer inadvertently drew in a sharp breath, instinctively looking at their own witness, another experienced forensic expert.

The opponent also appeared to face a formidable enemy, the two exchanged glances, both carrying an air of desperate determination.

“The suspect Jin Weixin’s semen and DNA were found on the deceased’s underwear and wiping materials. What do you have to say about this?”

The prosecution lawyer asked first.

Lin Yan didn’t even furrow her brow: “Nothing to say.”

The handcuffed suspect below seemed agitated and was restrained by the court police.

Miss Lin, sparing with words, glanced at him and finally added: “But this only proves he had sexual relations with the deceased, it doesn’t prove he killed her.”

The opposing lawyer’s lips curved slightly: “According to police investigation results, around 10 PM on April 18, 2007, the deceased entered a KTV private room with the suspect and his friends. This is the corridor surveillance video.”

The lawyer’s assistant opened the computer and pressed play. Lin Yan’s gaze fell on the screen, showing Jin Weixin embracing the deceased named Wang Li, their manner intimate, steps stumbling, apparently drunk.

Just then, they passed under a security camera, which briefly caught Wang Li’s impatient yet forced-to-endure expression.

The surveillance video showed 10:15 PM. Two hours later, Jin Weixin ran out of the private room alone in a panic, and about ten minutes after that, returned dragging a suitcase.

That suitcase was his tool for disposing of the body. Such behavior was suspicious, but since he was the boss, employees naturally didn’t dare say anything. Moreover, it was already early morning, people were exhausted, and he managed to escape. The parking lot surveillance also captured his vehicle’s movements. He had motive, criminal facts, and the autopsy results were conclusive evidence – enough to convict even without a confession.

Jin Weixin sat below wearing handcuffs, his expression showing signs of evasiveness, his hands unconsciously gripping each other – a sign of nervousness.

“According to witness testimony from those drinking in the private room that night, the suspect began inappropriately touching the deceased shortly after sitting down. The deceased, forced by his position as her boss, had to play along,” he said, casting a cold gaze at Jin Weixin.

“Until the suspect made the deceased pick up playing cards that had fallen between his legs with her mouth.”

“Pick it up! Why aren’t you picking it up? Use your mouth to pick it up for daddy, and all this money will be yours.” Jin Weixin slapped the face of the kneeling girl with money.

The woman was dressed thinly in a crop top and ultra-short shorts. Seeing she wouldn’t move, the man directly stuffed money into her lowered neckline.

“Pick it up! Pick it up for daddy! If you can’t pick it up, you might as well quit!” As he spoke, he pushed her head down, tears welling up in the girl’s eyes.

Hisses arose from the gallery.

The judge struck the gavel: “Silence!”

Lin Yan shook her head with a sneer, suddenly interrupting the other’s grandiloquence [誇誇其談 | kuā kuā qí tán | speaking in an exaggerated manner]: “I’m not interested in what happened between them, nor is there any need to repeat it to me. I’ll only state my examination results—”

The prosecution’s witness stood up to speak: “The deceased died from massive bleeding caused by a single-edged sharp weapon injury, and this fruit knife is the murder weapon.”

The lawyer held up the evidence bag, while the prosecution’s forensic expert continued: “The murder weapon is 10cm long, reaching 3cm at its widest point, matching the sharp weapon wound on the deceased’s body. Both the deceased’s blood and the suspect’s fingerprints were found on this knife. What do you have to say about this?”

This question was directed at Lin Yan.

Having stood for quite a while, this young lady casually leaned against the table: “Counsel, present Evidence B4.”

After the court’s permission, the lawyer opened the computer and projected the PowerPoint onto the large screen.

“This is a bruise discovered on the deceased’s lower back—”

“I object, this evidence is irrelevant to the case!” The lawyer immediately raised his hand to speak.

The judge glanced at him, then returned his gaze to the screen.

“Objection overruled.”

Lin Yan’s lips curved slightly: “The second autopsy revealed that this was the only bruise on the deceased’s entire body, approximately 3cm in size. As is commonly known, contusions [挫傷 | cuò shāng | injury causing bruising] are caused by blood vessel rupture and seepage, so blood must be flowing to produce a bruise.”

“After death, when the heart stops beating and blood no longer circulates, blood coagulation occurs within just a few minutes, naturally making it impossible to form bruises.”

“This doesn’t prove anything. It’s just a bruise, not fatal, possibly from hitting or bumping something during the struggle.”

The opposing forensic expert responded.

Lin Yan snapped her fingers: “Correct. Now let’s present Evidence B2.”

The screen showed images of the KTV private room’s interior, crime scene photos taken by the police.

The table was a mess, beer bottles scattered everywhere, a pool of blood on the floor, with spatter marks on the sofa legs.

“Enlarge it, look at the table corner’s shape.”

The audience was lost in confusion.

Lin Yan lowered her brows, smiled, and looked at the “experienced” forensic expert.

Though she was smiling, there was clearly a mocking light in her eyes.

Beads of sweat appeared on the opponent’s forehead.

“Laypeople might not understand, but an experienced forensic expert can tell at a glance how this contusion was formed. The private room only has round tables – no matter how much two people struggle, they couldn’t create this kind of injury, could they?”

The bruise was the size of a fingernail, small in area but deep, showing blue-purple from the inside out.

Indeed, a round table couldn’t create such a mark.

“At most, this only proves the deceased was injured while alive. The murder weapon still has the killer’s fingerprints – that’s a fact set in stone.”

Lin Yan retorted with mockery: “Who said the cause of death was hemorrhagic shock from sharp weapon injury?”

If the cause of death didn’t stand, even Jin Weixin’s fingerprints on the weapon would be a paradox.

A wave of murmurs swept through the gallery.

The judge demanded silence once again.

“Then what do you say is the cause of death?”

“Digitalis [毛地黃 | máo dì huáng | foxglove, a cardiac medication] poisoning.”

Hearing this reason, the opposing forensic expert clearly relaxed: “In the police’s subsequent investigation, they found the deceased had a history of heart disease and regularly took digitalis medications. We also conducted blood drug tests, which showed levels within normal range and not lethal.”

Lin Yan gave a cold laugh: “Is that so?”

The assistant understood and opened the computer.

“During the second autopsy, we examined the deceased’s liver tissue and bile, from which we extrapolated the peak blood drug concentration, which occurred one hour before death, the dosage—”

She paused, then continued slowly: “Was lethal.”

The opposing lawyer’s forehead broke out in large beads of sweat, and even the forensic expert was dumbfounded, licking their lips.

The room fell silent as frost, only the criminal suspect slowly cradling his head with his handcuffed hands.

It was now afternoon, the dusk light secretly slipping away from the desktop, casting onto the floor, leaving her standing spot without light, as if immersed in darkness.

Lin Yan’s lips curved, revealing a smile that could overturn the world [颠倒衆生 | diān dǎo zhòng shēng | Buddhist term meaning to confuse or mislead people].

She was better off not smiling, for when she did, there was an indescribable mockery and sharpness to it.

“Even though the blood had metabolized most of the toxins, traces remained in the liver and bile. Moreover, forensic authentication never relies on just one technical method, so we subsequently extracted fluid from the deceased’s vitreous body [玻璃體 | bō li tǐ | gel-like substance in eyeball], and the test results still showed death by digitalis overdose. The authentication results will be submitted to the court shortly.”

The prosecution lawyer whipped around to look at their forensic expert, whose forehead was covered in cold sweat, lips moving soundlessly, no longer daring to speak.

Testing vitreous body fluid is an unconventional autopsy method – anyone seeing a corpse with a fruit knife in the chest and blood everywhere would naturally assume death by massive blood loss.

This Lin Yan truly doesn’t follow the conventional path.

After delivering her long speech, Miss Lin licked her slightly chapped lips and returned to her seat.

Her first thought was—f*ck, didn’t apply enough lip balm this morning.

Police investigations rely on evidence, and court sentencing demands even more complete chains of evidence. This case would inevitably be sent back for reinvestigation to supplement evidence.

Jin Weixin, handcuffed and escorted by court police down the steps, passed by her side. His throat moved, voice somewhat hoarse, softly uttering two words: “Thank you.”

Lin Yan raised an eyebrow, her face still expressionless. Before taking two steps, she was surrounded by media reporters rushing up outside the courtroom.

“Miss Lin, did you testify for him because of your father’s connections?”

“Miss Lin, even if suspect Jin Weixin’s murder charge doesn’t stand, he still violated criminal law for rape. As a woman yourself, what do you have to say?”

“Miss Lin, you’ve testified for many criminal suspects in recent years, with some successfully being acquitted. For example, last month’s ‘South City Murder and Dismemberment Case’ where death sentence was reduced to suspended death sentence, then to life imprisonment. Is it true that you’ve been listed as ‘Public Enemy Number One’ by Binhai Province’s judicial departments?”

The questions grew increasingly sharp, but the person being questioned walked out surrounded by assistants, looking straight ahead, not saying a word.

“Make way, make way! Miss Lin, with vast family wealth, why did you choose to become a forensic expert?”

A young reporter, seemingly fresh out of university, held up a microphone while sweating profusely, struggling to squeeze in front of her.

Though this question seemed unrelated to the case, Lin Yan’s steps paused, her expression showing subtle changes under the cameras.

However, it was only momentary. Lin Yan continued walking, her assistants and bodyguards pushing the young reporter aside.

“Hey—Miss Lin!” As she was about to leave the courthouse hall, reporters swarmed again.

Someone shouted: “Miss Lin, what makes you think Jin Weixin isn’t the killer?!”

Lin Yan finally stopped, her lips curving into an ambiguous smile, casually pulling a reporter’s microphone over: “Then what makes you so sure he must be the killer?”

“This… according to police investigation results…”

“Based on just a few crime scene photos, a surveillance video with edited beginning and end, or fingerprints left on the knife handle?”

She retorted mockingly. Camera flashes went wild, everyone was speechless, but her gaze met those various looks directly, neither avoiding nor hiding.

“Ultimately, it’s none of those things, just wishful speculation. In your eyes, the poor are always worthy of sympathy and pity, while the rich are always ruthless villains who abuse their wealth.”

“Women shouldn’t be forensic experts, and men must be killing due to sexual impulses. The killer kills, but you all…”

She raised her head, staring into the camera. The woman’s eyes were striking, pupils black and bottomless, with more white showing than others – stunning at first glance yet somewhat unsettling.

“Condemn the heart.”

Her voice was cool and clear, yet powerfully resonant.

Not only were the reporters stunned, but the photographers also took a moment before frantically pressing their shutters.

By now Lin Yan was nearly at the Supreme Court’s main entrance, reporters pursuing relentlessly behind her, crowds of onlookers packed in front. Someone shouted: “Lin Yan, have you considered the victim’s family’s situation while testifying for the murderer? You don’t deserve to be a forensic expert, go die!”

In that instant, the crowd of reporters was torn apart, someone stumbling toward her.

The bodyguards were scattered by the crowd, unable to block in time. High heels stepped back slightly, Lin Yan casually grabbed her assistant’s collar and pulled him in front of her.

The six-foot-tall man hadn’t realized what happened before being doused with filth from head to toe.

Reporters pinched their noses and stepped back, court police rushed out to pin down the troublemaker.

Lin Yan frowned in disgust, moving further away. The bodyguards finally managed to gather around her: “Young Miss, are you alright?”

“Fine,” Lin Yan took off her white coat and handed it over: “Throw it away.”

“Yes.”

Thanks to this troublemaker, no one dared approach her anymore, fearing they’d be the next target of such filth.

As they watched her walking away, the man was on the verge of tears, eyes reddened, reeking with a horrible stench, looking utterly miserable.

He almost cried out: “Forensic Expert Lin…”

Lin Yan didn’t turn around: “Don’t come to work starting tomorrow.”

The man felt chilled to the bone, wondering if Lin Yan would have pushed him onto a blade’s edge if it had been a weapon instead.

Was a human life really that insignificant to her?!

If Lin Yan could hear his thoughts, she’d probably say: Haven’t I seen enough dead bodies on the autopsy table?

As night fell, the black Mercedes drove quietly on the road. Lin Yan sat in the back, appearing to rest with closed eyes. City lights flowed across the car windows, painting her face with a sense of depth.

The butler turned back and spoke softly: “Young Miss, the usual routine?”

She gave a measured “mm” in response.

The butler was a long-time servant of the Lin family, having served her father before being assigned to care for her – he had practically watched her grow up. Seeing her weary expression, he quietly gestured to the driver to head straight home.

Lin Yan opened her eyes: “No, I’m going to meet someone.”

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LP: Re-translated on February 17, 2025

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