Miss Forensics – Chapter 61.1

Corpse

Coming from a poor family, raised by a single parent, around the age of fourteen or fifteen, introduced by an uncle…

As Lin Yan thought about this, she couldn’t help but feel that Bai Ling perfectly fit the profile of the murderer’s hunting target. Her heart tightened instantly.

The fingertip resting on her wrist felt cold, and the person beside her was trembling slightly. Song Yuhang grabbed her hand and gave it a firm squeeze.

“It’s okay, it’s okay, everything will be fine.”

Lin Yan forced herself to calm down, and Song Yuhang had already snatched the map from Zheng Chengrui, spreading it out on her knee.

“You mentioned the first time you saw Bai Ling, where was it?”

“In the alley next to the Green Building.” Lin Yan pointed with her hand, her face a bit pale.

Song Yuhang circled it with a pen.

“She goes to school during the day and works at the Milan Bar at night.”

Song Yuhang circled a school and a bar nearby, connected these two points with a drawn line bisecting vertically. Then, she extended and intersected these three lines, determining the center, and finally, with a swift motion, she circled the location on the walkie-talkie.

“Using the northern alleys of the Xicheng District as the center, search for Bai Ling’s home within a radius of five kilometers. She’s a fifteen-year-old girl, slender, not tall, probably around 1.6 meters, raised by a single parent. Exclude upscale residential areas and focus on searching urban villages, understood?!”

“Understood!” A resolute response came through the earpiece. Duan Cheng swiftly turned on the indicator light, heading towards another road.

Half an hour later.

They were the first to arrive at the scene.

The door of the house was locked, and the technicians hadn’t arrived yet. Song Yuhang kicked the door open directly amidst the swirling dust, with Lin Yan quickly entering.

She took two steps, abruptly stopping as she looked at the splattered blood inside the room. Rarely, even in such situations, she maintained a hint of the composure expected of a professional.

“Don’t move. Put on gloves and shoe covers!”

Song Yuhang brought in the investigation kit for her. Lin Yan buried her head, using a magnifying glass to inspect the bloodstains dripping beside the sofa.

To an ordinary person, these bloodstains might seem insignificant, but for a forensic expert, they were extremely valuable clues.

Even though she was impatient, Lin Yan patiently and carefully analyzed, “Drip-shaped bloodstains, intact edges with spurs, indicating that at the time of the incident, Bai Ling was in a completely static state…”

She pushed the magnifying glass along the sofa leg and also discovered elongated drip-shaped bloodstains on the sofa fabric.

“She is very likely to have…”

In Lin Yan’s mind, the image slowly emerged of Bai Ling lying on the sofa, cutting her wrist while crying. She bit her lip tightly.

Fang Xin examined the fruit knife on the coffee table, repeatedly brushing it with carbon powder, and suddenly exclaimed, “Captain Song, there’s only one person’s fingerprint on the handle!”

Song Yuhang put the black and white portrait in her hand back on the altar. It seemed that during the time they were away, Bai Ling’s life had undergone a tremendous change.

The incense in front of the altar was still burning, and a faint blue smoke curled upwards.

With a wave of her hand, she led the way and rushed out.

“It seems they haven’t left for long. Pursue!”

The reinforcements arrived shortly after. Song Yuhang took Bai Ling’s personal clothing and let the police dog sniff it. After a few sniffs, she patted the dog’s back, and the tall and imposing wolfhound immediately perked up, barking wildly.

The group quickly got into the vehicles, the police lights flashing, sirens echoing over the city.

Dark clouds shrouded the sky, and a storm seemed imminent.

* * *

Jiangcheng City Bureau.

“Hello, we are from Daily News Channel…”

“Hello, we are from Huimin Daily…”

“May I ask if there was a mastermind behind the recent highly publicized cases of suicide among teenagers?”

“I heard that two detectives died this morning at the Central Hospital in Jiangcheng City. Is that true?”

The entrance to the large Municipal Public Security Bureau was blocked, and the crowd was impassable.

“Everyone, please be patient. The case is currently under investigation, and we have no further comments at this time. However, once the case is closed, we will immediately hold a press conference to provide a comprehensive explanation to the deceased, their families, the public, and the media.”

The spokesperson bowed deeply in front of the camera.

Feng Jianguo paced back and forth in the training room. On the large screen in front of him, real-time footage of the various teams pursuing the case appeared, and technicians were busy at work.

His forehead was almost wrinkled into a Chinese character. He didn’t even take the tea cup brought by a junior detective. He waved his hand, gesturing for the detective to leave, then walked back to the front of the large screen, picking up the walkie-talkie.

“Song Yuhang.” His tone was unprecedentedly severe.

Song Yuhang instinctively tensed her body, “Yes!”

“This is a tough battle. Although the opponent is only one person, their courage, intelligence, anti-surveillance awareness, and combat experience are not inferior to well-trained detectives. Moreover…”

He paused, “The two brothers we lost this morning had their backup guns taken away. This means that in his hands, there’s not only a hostage but also firepower. He could potentially threaten the life of any citizen in our city at any moment.”

“Song Yuhang, all the police officers in Jiangcheng City are your solid support. At the same time, you will bear the responsibility of safeguarding the safety of the entire city. This burden is not light. Are you ready for it?”

Feng Jianguo is good in many aspects, but he has one habit not so good, always stirring up trouble before taking action.

Song Yuhang smiled; her response was calm and collected, “Since the first day I joined the police force, I’ve been prepared to contribute and sacrifice at any time. Now, I request that you grant me the highest command on-site. I will apprehend the murderer and bring them to justice, applying the law firmly.”

The last two phrases she said with a hint of gritted teeth, thinking of the two deceased brothers, so many lost children, and the whereabouts unknown of Bai Ling…

She felt an intense fire burning in her chest.

“Good!” Feng Jianguo suddenly raised his voice, “I not only grant you command authority, but I also give you the right to shoot the suspect first. As long as there is violent resistance or any action that harms the hostages, shoot directly without reporting to superiors. I will take responsibility for this!”

Song Yuhang listened with a stirring heart. If she weren’t sitting, she would have stood up to salute directly.

Feng Jianguo continued, “The special forces are on standby. Now, we’ll await your good news.”

* * *

Good news was not received; instead, bad news arrived.

The police dog stood on the dock, barking incessantly. The workers pulled a corpse from the sea surface.

“The tide came in. If the girl’s clothes hadn’t been caught in the fishing net, she might have… “

Lin Yan swiftly opened the car door and jumped out. Song Yuhang followed closely, grabbing her wrist and pulling her back.

Lin Yan struggled, and Song Yuhang supported her shoulders. Both of their eyes were red.

“Lin Yan, calm down. You need to stay calm!”

Lin Yan gritted her teeth, a hint of moisture appearing in her eyes. She pushed her away forcefully, “Calm down? How do you expect me to stay calm?! Bai Ling’s body is lying right there. How the hell am I supposed to stay calm?!!!”

The wind at sea gradually intensified, tousling their hair.

After Lin Yan finished shouting, she looked up, wiping away tears. She turned away and headed straight towards the shore.

“Move aside!” She forcefully shoved aside a few recovery personnel, knelt beside Bai Ling, and looked at the familiar face. It seemed as if she could still hear Bai Ling calling “sister” in her ears.

“Don’t… don’t hit me… I’ve seen her.”

“Sister, are you okay?”

“Why did you come to work in Milan?”

“Anyway, I go to school during the day, work part-time at night, and earn enough tuition in a month.”

“Here, it’s a gift from your sister.”

When she stuffed the bank card into the girl’s pocket, the panic on the girl’s face reminded her so much of her own childhood. It was like the times when she received an occasional compliment or care from her father, fearing that she might not live up to the praise.

Behind the overwhelming joy, there was a deep-seated sense of inferiority.

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