Miss Forensics – Chapter 23

Volume One: First Scroll

[Locked]

[This chapter is locked]

It was already late at night when she settled Aunt Chen and returned to the villa. The rain was relentless, and the bodyguard held an umbrella for her, ushering her out of the car.

She didn’t expect anyone to be waiting for her at this hour.

Through the curtain of rain, the dim light at the villa entrance reflected her slender figure in the puddles.

Song Yuhang stood quietly, holding an umbrella. Her face was, as usual, expressionless, but Lin Yan sensed a suppressed atmosphere from her tightly pursed lips.

An unwelcome guest.

Unwilling to linger, and in low spirits because of Chunan’s affair which always left her mentally and physically exhausted, especially on this somewhat special day, she didn’t even greet her.

As the bodyguards escorted her past, Song Yuhang moved. No one expected her sudden attack – a swift and brutal punch aimed straight at the vital area of the abdomen.

Lin Yan staggered back a few steps and was steadied by the bodyguards, coughing a few times.

The two suited bodyguards immediately stepped in front of her to shield her. Song Yuhang shook her hand, as if unsatisfied.

“Isn’t Forensic Doctor Lin’s martial arts skill supposed to be quite good? How come she couldn’t even dodge a simple straight punch?” She rotated her wrist, emitting a crackling sound from her bones: “Or, should I call out the one who can fight to play with me?”

The two bodyguards looked like they were about to move, but Lin Yan straightened up, waved her hand, signaling them to back down, and handed them her coat.

“This is between her and me.”

The Lin family’s servants seemed to have an innate obedience to her. Even knowing that the other party harbored ill intentions, they still followed their master’s orders and retreated.

For a moment, the world was silent, with only the pitter-patter of rain hitting the trees and their heavy breathing.

The moment Song Yuhang dropped the umbrella in her hand, she moved!

The reflection in the pool of water before her revealed her lithe, leopard-like figure. Her attack was a tricky and vicious front snap kick¹ that landed on Lin Yan’s soft abdomen. Her vital areas repeatedly struck, she frowned in pain, and with a “wah,” spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva.

Before she could recover and defend herself, Song Yuhang leaped up and slammed her right leg straight into her face.

Lin Yan instinctively raised her elbow to block it. If she hadn’t blocked, she would have been taken to the ground by the ankle and her head would have slammed hard on the concrete.

Even so, the force was so strong that she staggered back several steps, crashing into the villa’s iron gate with a “clang.” Her arm ached, and she was left with a bruise from the thick, leather-soled combat boot that she couldn’t even lift.

Song Yuhang pressed closer, her attacks swift and disorganized, each blow landing solidly. Lin Yan dodged passively, taking a right hook to the cheek, immediately bruising the corner of her eye.

Song Yuhang grabbed her collar, panting. Rain streamed down her chin, perhaps the rain was too heavy, or maybe it just made the light in her eyes glisten with water.

“Attack!” She gripped her neck, lifting her slightly against the iron gate. “If you don’t fight back, you’ll die.”

Lin Yan looked into those usually indifferent eyes, now bloodshot. She had lost her usual composure and calmness since arriving here today.

She suddenly laughed: “Hahaha…”

The laughter was enchanting yet resolute.

Song Yuhang paused, the hand gripping her neck trembling slightly. Lin Yan clung to her like a maggot: “Then kill me, I’m a heinous criminal, I’m irredeemable. If you kill me, you’ll avenge Li Shiping, you’ll be acting on behalf of Heaven.”

She closed her eyes slightly, as if sighing: “Hurry up, I can’t wait any longer.”

The rain poured down on them, drenching them both. Song Yuhang had never felt so cold, to the point where her teeth were chattering. For a moment, she couldn’t tell if she was shivering or gritting her teeth.

“You were the one who went to Li Shiping’s house that night.”

She remembered the glass on the kitchen counter.

“Ding Xue is your junior classmate.”

If she remembered correctly, Ding Xue should be two years younger than Lin Yan. The day she drove to Jiangcheng First High School, her familiarity with the roads was no less than that of a local.

“So what if she is?” Lin Yan looked at her flippantly, curling her lips into a smile, as if she didn’t care at all about being strangled.

Song Yuhang exerted a little more force with her fingers, forcing her to gasp for breath, her toes suspended off the ground.

“You provided all the initial clues in this case. Forensic Doctor Lin is quite skilled, leading us around in circles. You knew who the killer was all along.”

She used a statement of certainty. From Lin Yan’s perspective, the heavy rain made her features appear even sharper.

Song Yuhang was soaked to the bone, her shirt clinging tightly to her body, rain streaming down her chin into her collar. The bulging muscles and protruding veins in her neck constantly advertised her wild beauty.

Different from men, and even more different from ordinary women.

She always seemed to be the special one, so much so that Lin Yan couldn’t categorize her.

The rain was so cold, but the hand gripping her neck was scalding hot. She inexplicably remembered the warmth of her lips on her ear that night.

Thinking about it, she chuckled. She knew how to provoke her, just as Song Yuhang knew how to step on her sore spots.

How could they understand each other so well, when they had only just met?

Vaguely thinking this, she opened her mouth: “Yes, I knew. I knew that Ding Xue was drowned by Sun Xiangming, I knew that Li Shiping killed him, and I also knew how Li Shiping died – arsenic, a deadly poison.”

She chuckled, her voice both chilling and desperate: “Bleeding from all orifices, a quick death, not much pain. Do you want to know what she said to me at the end?”

“Shut up!” Song Yuhang suddenly tightened her grip, throwing her upward. Lin Yan coughed violently, struggling, and kicked her knee with her right leg. Song Yuhang lost her footing, and the two of them, entangled, fell into the bushes next to the villa.

Branches snapped and broke in a large area, rain and mud splashed everywhere. Two tall, long-legged adult women wrestled, a devastating blow to the ornamental plants.

Each landed punches, aiming straight for the other’s vitals. Song Yuhang grabbed her collar and roared, “You were the one in black!”

“Yes, it was me. So what?” Lin Yan fiercely delivered a knee strike that sent her flying, and then quickly rolled over and pinned her neck.

She smiled enchantingly and seductively, every inch of her face radiating moisture.

“Go ahead and sue me, Officer Song. Do you have evidence? Will the prosecutor’s office believe you? Can you get an arrest warrant? It’s really a coincidence, if you had come any later, I might not even have a complete corpse left.”

Song Yuhang’s eyes were bloodshot, feeling a surge of hot blood rushing to her head. Without thinking, she bent her leg for a knee strike, while grabbing the clothes on her back and fiercely pushing her headfirst over.

Lin Yan fell straight from the flowerbed bushes onto the concrete, hitting the back of her head hard. It hurt terribly, as if her internal organs were about to fall apart.

The wound on her hand soaked in the water, seeping out pale red blood.

Song Yuhang stumbled to her feet and dragged her out of the mud. She looked at the face so close to her, so beautiful, yet chilling.

“Since you knew Sun Xiangming was the killer, and you had crucial evidence in your hands, why didn’t you tell me?!” She shook her collar, her voice hoarse, “I could have arrested him myself! I would never let go of any beast who personally deprived another person of their life!”

Lin Yan coughed as she was shaken, “Cough…cough cough… It’s useless… do you know that?”

She suddenly raised her eyes, filled with shimmering light, “Before the child was born, Ding Xue had already wanted a divorce. Sun Xiangming was abusive, once so severely that he sent her to the hospital with a ruptured spleen, where she stayed for a month.”

The hand gripping her stopped. The corners of Lin Yan’s lips curved into a mocking smile again: “Encouraged by Li Shiping, Ding Xue filed for divorce. Sun Xiangming didn’t agree, and the case went to court. After three mediations, the divorce was not granted. It was also at this time that Ding Xue discovered she was pregnant.”

Song Yuhang released her hand, and Lin Yan collapsed to the ground. The hair tie had long been broken, and her long hair rippled out like seaweed, scattered in the puddles. There were bloodstains from scratches from the branches on her face, as well as bruises from Song Yuhang’s blows, but she was still breathtakingly beautiful.

It was a beauty so flawed that it was heartbreaking.

The prolonged confrontation had almost exhausted both of them. Lin Yan lay quietly on the ground, letting the rain wash over her body, too weak to even lift a finger, but she still felt relieved, still felt a sense of catharsis. It was as if the harder she was beaten, the lighter the things weighing down her heart became.

She could barely breathe. She often wondered, why do those beasts who have harmed others live so well?

Why was she still alive and well?

Why did it have to be her Chunan?

So when Li Shiping proposed that deal, she didn’t refuse.

Lin Yan lay on the ground, and two clear tears slid from the corners of her eyes. She had to thank this rain for preserving her last shred of dignity.

Song Yuhang looked at her eyes, where there was only a deathly silence, no stars, and no reflection of herself.

Fueled by alcohol, she had vented her anger, but was she happy now? Not at all.

She couldn’t quite describe the taste in her heart, both anger and injustice, with a hint of disappointment.

Anger that she had violated professional ethics by informing others of clues, indirectly causing Sun Xiangming’s death. Anger that she used her professional knowledge to create a perfect alibi for herself, walking on the edge of the law.

Injustice that she could be above the law, that she could be without remorse, and that even after being beaten until she couldn’t stand, she still stubbornly couldn’t spit out a single word of “wrong.”

Lin Yan’s bones were truly hard.

Song Yuhang completely released her, collapsing weakly into the mud. Perhaps the disappointment in her eyes was too obvious. Lin Yan glanced at her and even slightly tugged at the corners of her lips.

“You might be wondering, why would someone like me, who was born without worries about food and clothing, whose family is rich and powerful, not use that power to put Sun Xiangming in jail if I wanted to uphold justice and act on behalf of Heaven?”

Lin Yan’s gaze drifted towards the void, and the large raindrops hitting her face caused a slight tingling pain.

She said softly, “I don’t trust anyone but myself.”

Song Yuhang’s throat moved slightly. The light was dim, and she gradually couldn’t see what kind of expression she was making.

But Lin Yan seemed to know what she wanted to say, and a strained smile appeared on her lips: “Officer Song, don’t have any expectations of me. I’m capable of anything.”

“My name is Lin Yan, and I was born an unwelcome child.”

That faint glimmer of hope was easily extinguished.

That time at the Provincial Department wasn’t actually the first time Song Yuhang had seen her interviewed.

There were many occasions where she could see her.

As long as she wanted to.

On television, in the news, in newspapers, in gossip magazines, and even at academic conferences.

She saw her effortlessly entering and exiting various occasions, sometimes elegant, sometimes calm, sometimes composed, sometimes sharp. One moment, she was silencing the media with her relentless questioning in front of the cameras; the next, she was rolling up her sleeves and cursing loudly in the street. She even stood in front of the City Bureau’s entrance, under the national emblem, and passionately kissed her lover in broad daylight.

Her life was different from Song Yuhang’s rule-abiding one. She even envied her soul, which seemed to be naturally free and unrestrained.

She lived as she pleased, never caring about the opinions of others.

The night she dissected Ding Xue, in the coroner’s office, the minute she bowed her head in silent mourning was the first time she had glimpsed the softness and kindness beneath her hard shell.

But she had to admit that Lin Yan was a liar, and of the highest, most undetectable level.

“What’s the motive? Tell me… why?” Song Yuhang wiped her face, erasing the last bit of light from her eyes.

Lin Yan’s gaze returned to her. She looked up at the gray-black sky, looking and looking as if she could see that person waiting for her in the heavens.

“There’s no motive. I’m just that kind of person.”

“Is that so?” Song Yuhang slightly curled her lips: “What were you looking for in the archives that day? 1990, if I remember correctly, Forensic Doctor Lin had just turned eighteen that year and was in her senior year of high school…”

Before she could finish speaking, the other woman suddenly looked over. Her expression changed abruptly, becoming somewhat strained and resentful.

Lin Yan propped herself up on the ground with her elbows, barely lifting her upper body: “Shut up…”

Hearing that year, she almost felt a physiological heart pain that suffocated her.

Song Yuhang turned her head to look at her, her eyes somewhat meaningful: “Appearances and skills can be faked, but things like temperament and personality cannot be faked. Forensic Doctor Lin probably doesn’t know, but you always use teasing to cover up your guilt, and when I hit your sore spot, you’ll blow up.”

“See, just like you are now.”

Lin Yan tilted her head back, trying to lift her upper body, but her arms simply wouldn’t obey her. Her fingers scratched the ground futilely and she fell back down, mud splashing on Song Yuhang’s pant legs.

She watched her panting, her eyes fierce. Her usually fair skin was flushed with excitement, even the corners of her eyes were red.

Her slender and fragile neck was exposed before her, like a wild animal revealing its softest fur.

Her wet clothes clung to her body, rising and falling with her breath. Lin Yan was ultimately different from her. She was both fragile and strong, like a trumpet vine blooming on a cliff, constantly exuding her beauty.

She couldn’t help but recall the softness she had touched during their earlier scuffle. She hadn’t thought too much about it then, but now she realized that while she had good skills, most of it was clever force, ultimately different from her own well-trained and solid muscles.

Song Yuhang’s throat moved slightly, and she slowly reached out her hand.

The only things Lin Yan could move were her fingers and head. Her brain was also dizzy, and she was a little cold.

Just as her fingers touched her clothes, Lin Yan suddenly shuddered. She realized what she was going to do – the tattoo!

When the buttons were undone halfway, a hint of that secret place was finally revealed. Just as Song Yuhang swallowed hard, intending to memorize the pattern, she moved!

She didn’t expect Lin Yan to still have the strength to fight back. Those seemingly weak legs almost instantly coiled around her neck. Her waist and abdomen arched in a kip-up², not only perfectly escaping her grasp but also dislocating one of her arms in the process.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s ultimate move – armbar!

She didn’t have time to react in that split second, and Lin Yan certainly didn’t give her any time. While falling sideways to the ground, her arm was already against Lin Yan’s lower abdomen, her right hand straightened, and the force was so great that the sound of muscles and bones breaking could be heard. A sharp pain instantly caused beads of sweat to appear on Song Yuhang’s forehead.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu deserves its reputation as the best ground fighting technique. Once countered and taken to the ground, it is difficult to escape.

However, how long could she maintain this state?

Song Yuhang endured the pain and smiled wryly: “Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt or above, I really misjudged you.”

“Forgive me for speaking frankly… cough cough…” Lin Yan gasped violently, unable to finish her sentences: “Your judgment has never been very good.”

No wonder.

With an excess of agility but a lack of strength, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a new style of mixed martial arts that uses weakness to overcome strength and softness to overcome hardness, specializing in submission, and excelling in grappling. It was quite suitable for her.

However, in the face of absolute strength, especially when she also had a physical advantage, a Lin Yan in her prime could fight her to a near draw, but now…

A cold glint flashed in her eyes. Relying on her powerful upper body strength, she stubbornly supported herself with one hand, trying to turn over. The bones made a teeth-grinding sound as she struggled. She almost twisted her entire body into a grotesque arc.

Lin Yan was shocked. Cold sweat instantly poured down her forehead.

Was she crazy?! If she continued to struggle like this, she would lose her right arm!

It was in that moment of distraction that Song Yuhang struck her abdomen with her elbow, and Lin Yan’s fingers went limp, falling heavily to the ground. She closed her eyes, but the pain did not arrive as expected.

At the critical moment, Song Yuhang placed her palm under her head, and the two of them embraced and fell together into the puddles.

With a crisp “riiiiip,” the thing she was desperately protecting was revealed to the world.

Lin Yan trembled with anger: “Song Yuhang, I f%ck your mother! I… I f%ck…”

She couldn’t say a complete sentence, just repeating those few swear words over and over again, gasping for breath and desperately trying to hide. Her arm was pinned behind her head, and when she tilted her head back, that slender neck was exposed to her gaze again.

What’s more, the two of them were so close.

Song Yuhang could almost certainly confirm that the piece of clothing was hers.

Just as a forensic doctor can smell what kind of drug poisoning it is, a criminal police officer can smell the scent of drugs.

What’s more, humans always have a fresh memory of smell.

She might forget that person, but she would never forget the smell on her body.

That patch of bright red tattoo was like a birthmark. Song Yuhang raised her hand and gently stroked it, feeling the roughness under her fingertips and the uneven texture.

It was Lin Yan’s most unbearable past.

This wasn’t a tattoo; this was… carved on with a knife!

Shocked, she lowered her eyes to meet the other woman’s gaze, only to see Lin Yan gently close her eyes, her throat moving slightly, and two clear tears sliding from the corners of her eyes, as if she didn’t want her to see her so embarrassed.

She turned her head away, biting her lower lip tightly, the corners of her eyes red: “Have you seen enough? If you’ve seen enough, get up.”

As if waking from a dream, Song Yuhang finally realized what she had done, and how inappropriate this situation was.

On a night with torrential rain, where you couldn’t see your fingers, she pinned her hands overwhelmingly over her head, and even…

Song Yuhang almost wanted to slap herself.

Tonight, she was not a police officer; she was a criminal. Lin Yan certainly had reason to cry, and those tears scalded her. Song Yuhang was shocked, hastily got up, wiped the rain from her face, and her heart beat like a drum.

She turned away, doing what was proper, but then felt that it was inappropriate, since she was the one who had beaten her like this. So, she gritted her teeth, turned back again, and offered her hand.

“Get up.”

Lin Yan pushed her hand away and slowly propped herself up to sit, pulling back the clothing that had slipped off her shoulder.

Her whole body felt like it was falling apart, her head was throbbing and aching, and her fingers were trembling and uncooperative. Therefore, she did it extremely slowly.

Rain streamed down her chin, making her already small face look even smaller. Song Yuhang couldn’t help but think of how she had cried just now, and felt both sour and astringent in her heart.

It was a very strange feeling, one she had never experienced before, and it made her feel somewhat lost.

However, it was raining too hard. She still wanted to send her back.

Song Yuhang crouched down slightly: “Lin…”

Lin Yan raised her eyes, her gaze empty and devoid of spirit, her lips trembling as she shrank back.

Song Yuhang sighed quietly in her heart: “Then you wait, I’ll go get someone.”

Her villa gate was not far away.

The butler ran over with people and ushered Lin Yan under the umbrella, wrapped her in a blanket, and walked her inside with a few servants.

Song Yuhang watched her disappear behind the iron gate.

Lin Yan paused, as if sensing something, and turned back, staring at the puddle of water in front of her.

She spoke her last words to her that night.

“Believe it or not, I didn’t kill Sun Xiangming, and I didn’t kill Li Shiping. I was just a witness, putting a not-so-perfect end to their and Ding Xue’s love.”

---

LP: I’m back! Sorry, I was sick this entire time. I hope i won’t get sick again for at least a few years, I hate it :(

Re-translated on March 22, 2025

---

---