Miss Forensics – Chapter 65

Volume One: First Scroll

Don’t Cry

When you cry, my heart aches.

Fang Xin and Duan Cheng supported her on her left and right as they moved forward, with Zhang Jinhai scouting ahead and Zheng Chengrui bringing up the rear.

This was a long underground passage. Water seeped down from the ceiling, and a layer of accumulated water floated with trash or plastic bags underfoot. From time to time, rats scurried past them, squeaking.

The enemy was in the dark, while they were in the open; danger could arrive at any moment. Everyone’s mental state was extremely tense.

Following the marks left by Song Yuhang, they turned another corner and faced two diverging paths: one faintly glowed with some light, while the other led into darkness.

Lin Yan stopped. The group turned to look at her. She lowered her arm from Duan Cheng’s shoulder and stood on her own.

“Duan Cheng, give me your gun.”

Duan Cheng didn’t understand her intention. Just as he was about to draw his gun from its holster to hand it to her, Fang Xin stopped him.

“Lin-jie, you…”

“You guys go back,” Lin Yan said faintly, then supported herself against the wall and walked forward.

“I guess the mission Bureau Chief Feng gave you was just to rescue me. Once the mission is complete, you should return. Don’t follow any further.”

The Chunan case had wide-ranging implications, and she still hadn’t figured it out. Song Yuhang was already involved; she didn’t want to drag anyone else into it.

Duan Cheng took two steps after her, his footsteps splashing in the water. “But, how can the two of you win? You’re still injured…”

“So, isn’t that why I asked you to give me your gun? If you follow, you’ll just be a burden.” Lin Yan, extremely annoyed, snatched the gun from his hand, loaded a bullet, and released the safety.

“This is my business. Don’t interfere.”

The dark muzzle of the gun lifted slightly, pointing at him. Lin Yan tilted her head and looked at Zhang Jinhai. “Captain Zhang, take them back.”

In Lin Yan’s impression, Zhang Jinhai was a timid, greasy middle-aged man with a family, so he would definitely agree. As long as Zhang Jinhai agreed, the tech investigation team members would have to leave, whether they wanted to or not.

But to her utter surprise, Zhang Jinhai walked forward and pushed her gun away. “Your gun should be aimed at the enemy, not your colleagues. Forensic Doctor Lin, you might have misunderstood. The mission we received wasn’t to rescue you, but to protect you and bring you back to the city bureau safely.”

Lin Yan was stunned. He, however, smiled again, unconsciously sucking in his protruding belly as he spoke to make his bulletproof vest fit better. Then, he walked to the front to lead the way, still with that glib tone.

“Hah, as long as you’re part of our Jiangcheng City Bureau, you’re one of us. Assaulting a police officer is unforgivable. Besides, at my age, I still want to earn some merits and get promoted. Otherwise, I’ll have to retire in a few years.”

Fang Xin also came forward to pull her. “Let’s go, Lin-jie. Three cobblers with their wits combined are better than one Zhuge Liang¹, you know.”²

Zheng Chengrui followed. “Well, I’m not good at much else, but I can quickly plan the most reasonable escape route.”

Duan Cheng: “…Zheng-ge, shut up.”

Lin Yan was dragged along. “You guys…”

She seemed to want to say something, her eyes warming, but she pressed her lips tightly together and ultimately didn’t voice the words.

I will protect you too, to the best of my ability.

The group walked back into the darkness. They hadn’t gone far when they heard a loud gunshot.

In that instant, Lin Yan was like a beast awakening in the forest, the fatigue in her eyes swept away as she darted past everyone to the front.

She raised her hand. “Combat formation! Duan Cheng, Old Zheng, protect Fang Xin. I’ll take the lead. The rear… I’ll leave it to Captain Zhang.”

Although Lin Yan was injured, her combat skills and experience were top-notch among them.

Zhang Jinhai, after all, had a family to support; it was most appropriate for her to take the lead.

No one else objected. They nodded, and in the quiet atmosphere, only their heavy breathing could be heard.

Duan Cheng’s gun had been taken by Lin Yan. He gripped an electric baton, his palm clammy with cold sweat, so slippery he could barely hold the baton.

Lin Yan chuckled softly. “Don’t be afraid. We’re wearing bulletproof vests. As long as it’s not a vital spot, we won’t die.”

“Easy for you to say. What if we get headshot?” Duan Cheng whispered back as the group moved silently along the wall.

Lin Yan scoffed. “How could it be so easy to get a headshot on a moving target? Unless you stand still like a live target. Otherwise, do you think sharpshooters are that easy to train?”

Just as her voice fell, another gunshot rang out. She had already dashed forward, breaking through the door.

Song Yuhang was already entangled in a fight with a man in black. This was a spacious operating room hidden underground, brightly lit. Beside the bed were a monitor and a centrifuge. A child lay on the bed. An instrument tray was overturned, equipment scattered on the floor. Fortunately, Song Yuhang had arrived in time.

The recent gunshots were all fired by her. Unfortunately, the culprit reacted extremely quickly, not only dodging them but also engaging her in close combat.

Song Yuhang was pinned to the ground, her neck choked by the man. His arms were thick and powerful, squeezing her until her face turned pale.

Song Yuhang struggled, her hand fumbling for a scalpel that had fallen nearby. She snatched it up and stabbed fiercely at his neck.

In a flash of lightning and flint spark³, the blade was before his eyes. The man’s pupils contracted; it was too late to retract his hand.

Song Yuhang pressed her advantage. A line of blood arced through the air. The man clutched his neck and retreated a few steps, his gaze falling on his handgun, which had been knocked aside earlier.

Song Yuhang saw it too. Both lunged for it simultaneously, fighting to the death, evenly matched.

Another punch landed heavily on Song Yuhang’s temple. Stars danced before her eyes, and her eardrums buzzed.

Combat instinct made her subconsciously knee him, sending him flying. Then she flipped over, grabbing his neck to reach for the gun. The man, naturally, wouldn’t give in, lashing out with a whip kick as he fell.

Blood spurted from the corner of Song Yuhang’s lips. Both of them flew backward, crashing through the glass of the operating room door.

Lin Yan, holding her gun, was still panting, unable to pull the trigger. The two were too close…

Song Yuhang spared her a glance. “Don’t mind me! Get the child out!”

As she spoke, the man pried her fingers open one by one. Bones made a cracking sound. Song Yuhang was drenched in sweat from the pain, her face ghastly pale.

The gun in her palm was finally taken. The cold muzzle pressed against her forehead.

The man in black slowly squeezed the trigger. Song Yuhang, enduring the pain and panting heavily, was still smiling.

That crazed, bloodthirsty, and arrogant look in her eyes was somewhat similar to Lin Yan’s.

In the man’s moment of daze, Song Yuhang managed to grip the gun stock, and the two wrestled for control.

The man pressed the muzzle down; Song Yuhang gritted her teeth and twisted it aside.

“Bang!” Under the force of gravity, the trigger was finally pulled.

Lin Yan’s heart leaped into her throat. “Song Yuhang!”

The bullet grazed her face and flew past, shattering the leg of the bedside cabinet. The monitor crashed to the floor, breaking into pieces, its alarm shrieking.

Knowing she was alright, Lin Yan wasted no more time. She rushed over to check on the child, quickly lifted her eyelids, felt for a carotid pulse, and then lifted her clothes for a look.

The man’s eyes were wide with fury. He roared, “Don’t touch her!” and lunged at Lin Yan.

Song Yuhang leaped up, wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, and dragged him backward.

The man punched her head, elbowing her temple. Song Yuhang quickly became dizzy, coughing up blood from her lips, but she didn’t let go. Her already swollen eyes were almost squeezed into a line.

Through her peripheral vision, she saw Lin Yan remove the monitor leads from the girl and pick her up. A gratified smile touched her lips.

“Just anesthetized and unconscious. Get her to a hospital quickly,” Lin Yan said, handing the child to Zhang Jinhai and the others who had followed closely.

Zhang Jinhai slung the child onto his back. “What about you?”

“Captain Song is still inside. I have to save her.”

Several people hid in the small gap beside the hospital bed.

“I’ll go too…” Duan Cheng said and was about to run out when Lin Yan pushed him back.

“Get lost! This is an order from above! Go!”

“No one is getting away!!!” the man roared, his eyes bloodshot with rage. He grabbed Song Yuhang’s arm and twisted it sharply backward.

A sickening crack of bone, and excruciating pain shot through her. Song Yuhang’s face turned deathly white, large beads of sweat rolling down her forehead. Then, her body felt light as she was lifted high and slammed hard against the wall.

She tumbled a few times, knocking over a medicine cabinet. Bloodstains instantly appeared on the wall.

Lin Yan, cowering at the corner of the bed, saw a hand pick up the gun from the floor. Her pupils instantly constricted. She roared, “Go!” and shoved them out.

Several people stumbled outside the door. Zhang Jinhai, panting heavily, carefully protected the child to prevent her head from being hit.

Duan Cheng scrambled up from the ground with a roll, only to be instantly pulled down by Fang Xin. “Get down!!!”

“Bang! Bang! Bang!” Bullets instantly pierced the steel door, leaving small holes that cast several rays of light into the darkness.

They huddled on the ground, heads covered, not daring to breathe, completely unable to imagine the scene inside.

Duan Cheng’s eyes reddened. “Lin-jie, Captain Song…”

Zhang Jinhai was the first to recover. He hoisted the child onto his back and pulled one person up with each hand. “Go, quickly! Get out and call for backup!”

Even Song Yuhang could only fight the man in black to a standstill. Adding a few more of them would only cause trouble. Moreover, in the narrow, crowded room, a gun was a f#cking useless piece of junk.

With their level of marksmanship, it would be good enough if they didn’t accidentally injure their own people.

Choosing the lesser of two evils. Since he had brought them out, he had to bring them all back alive.

Zhang Jinhai gritted his teeth, carrying a child on his back and dragging several terrified young people who were facing live ammunition for the first time, running forward.

Zheng Chengrui’s glasses were knocked askew. He wiped away tears that had unknowingly streamed down his face, finally recovering from the state of shock that had left his legs weak and his body limp.

He quickly tapped the mini-computer on his right forearm, wiping off the dust. The screen was cracked but barely usable.

He didn’t know where he found the strength, but he dragged his chubby, short legs to the front. “This way, go this way! I’ll lead.”

After the dust and smoke cleared, Lin Yan crawled out from under the overturned hospital bed frame. The room was a mess, with bullet marks on the walls and ceiling. The centrifuge was shattered, and crimson blood pooled on the floor. The room was dark; the chandelier from the ceiling had crashed right in front of her.

After Lin Yan’s eyes adjusted to the darkness, she crawled forward, feeling her way through the shattered glass on the floor.

She was looking for Song Yuhang. “Song Yuhang, Song Yuhang…” The usually flippant woman rarely showed such panic, her voice trembling slightly.

A woman’s weak cough came from the doorway. Song Yuhang slid off the man in black, still holding a bedpan, its rim stained with blood.

In that critical moment, seeing the gun muzzle aimed at Lin Yan, Song Yuhang, without a second thought, scrambled up from the ground. Ignoring her dizziness and the pain racking her body, instinct drove her to pounce on the man in black from behind like a tiger, grabbing his wrist and forcibly twisting the gun’s muzzle, changing the direction of the bullet.

The man in black struggled. She didn’t know where she got the strength, but like a madwoman, she randomly grabbed the bedpan that had rolled nearby and slammed it against his temple, again and again, until blood seeped from his mouth and nose, and he gradually stopped moving.

Only then did Song Yuhang let go. Both were seriously injured.

The man in black lay face down on the ground, a pool of blood beside his head.

She lay on her back, panting heavily, her stamina at its limit. Her whole body was as soft as a marshmallow; even lifting a finger felt difficult. Hearing Lin Yan’s call, she wanted to speak, but coughed up blood as soon as she opened her mouth.

Lin Yan crawled over, cupped her face, and tried to wipe away the bloodstains with her hand, but couldn’t get it clean.

Her voice choked up instantly. “Song Yuhang, Song Yuhang…”

She had never seen her so battered, covered in blood, her black training uniform soaked through, her face bruised and swollen. One eye was bloodshot and swollen shut, and her right hand hung limply, useless, by her side. It was dark in the room; Lin Yan couldn’t see where she was injured. She just tried to pull her up, but Song Yuhang was heavy, and Lin Yan herself was injured and couldn’t lift her.

Lin Yan’s tears fell instantly.

“Where are you hurt? Where? Let’s… let’s go to the hospital…” Lin Yan sniffled, swaying on her feet, but still gritted her teeth and tried to help her up. They staggered a few steps, then both fell to the ground again.

This time, Lin Yan didn’t let her be a human cushion.

Song Yuhang leaned on her shoulder, coughing and laughing.

“It’s rare to see you cry for me once…”

“But…” She managed to lift her still-movable left hand and reached out to wipe away the tears from the corner of Lin Yan’s eye.

“Still, don’t cry. When you cry, my heart aches.”

As she spoke, she frowned in discomfort and “wah-ed,” spitting out a large mouthful of congealed blood, her face deathly pale.

Lin Yan patted her back, helping her catch her breath, then suddenly felt something hard.

She felt it again, then gritted her teeth.

Song Yuhang was genuinely weak, feigning further injury to lean in her embrace, but her eyes shone brightly. She grasped Lin Yan’s hand and placed it over her heart.

“How about… you kiss me, and it won’t hurt anymore.”

Lin Yan raised her hand for a slap. “Damn it, wearing a bulletproof vest and still playing dead! Trying to take advantage of me again, get lost!”

Song Yuhang closed her eyes, a smile on her lips, awaiting the impact of the slap, but Lin Yan’s hand never fell.

Instead, she was pulled up by her collar. Lin Yan straightened up, and warm lips landed on her forehead, a touch as light and fleeting as a dragonfly skimming the water⁴. Yet, Song Yuhang felt that this moment was an eternity.

Lin Yan hugged her head, her voice somewhat choked. “You… you’re okay…”

Song Yuhang buried herself in her embrace, surrounded by warmth and softness, almost unable to breathe.

She truly felt that if she hadn’t been beaten to death, she might die from a racing heart, soaring blood pressure, and a brain hemorrhage.

Both of them smelled of gunpowder, saltpeter, and blood, yet she had never felt so content, as if all the pain had drifted far away.

“Lin Yan.”

“Mm?”

“So soft.”

“…” Veins throbbed on Lin Yan’s forehead. She pushed her away and turned to leave.

“Hey—wait for me, hiss…” Song Yuhang limped after her. Although she hadn’t been hit by a bullet, the steel plate of her bulletproof vest was bent, and she had suffered internal injuries. Moreover, one arm couldn’t be lifted, and a bleeding hole on her leg, just hit by a stray bullet, was oozing blood.

Only now did she feel the pain. Just moments ago, with all the fighting and embracing, her adrenaline had surged, completely masking the pain. Now that she had relaxed, the aftereffects kicked in. Before she could even stand up, the world spun. Lin Yan turned back and steadied her.

Meeting her worried gaze, Song Yuhang managed a weak smile. “I’m fine… Check if he’s still alive.”

Lin Yan helped her lean against the wall, then bent down to take the gun from the man in black’s hand and pulled off his mask.

An almost gruesome face appeared before them. If she wasn’t mistaken, Li Yang was only in his early forties this year, but his face, crisscrossed with scars, looked exceptionally old and terrifying.

Except for his eyes and forehead, there wasn’t a single good spot. His skin was wrinkled and bunched together due to the scars. His nose bridge was collapsed, and his mouth protruded, making him not just ugly but also frightening.

Lin Yan felt nauseated just looking at him and instinctively smashed the gunstock onto his face.

Song Yuhang clutched her chest and went to pull her back. “Let’s go. You go out and call for help first. I’ll watch him here.”

But Lin Yan pressed the gun to his temple, her words ground out through clenched teeth, “He’s just unconscious. I want him dead.”

“Lin Yan!” Song Yuhang raised her voice slightly, leaning against the wall, panting and trembling. Chills ran through her body, and the wound on her leg kept bleeding, quickly forming a pool of blood at her feet.

“Listen to me, go out first. He’s done so many evil things and killed two criminal police officers. He can’t escape the death penalty.”

“I want him dead now!!!” Lin Yan’s eyes were bloodshot as she gripped the trigger.

Violent coughs came from behind her. Song Yuhang could no longer hold on and slid down the wall.

“He… he must die… but… don’t you want to know his motive? Even if you might hate me now, might be dismissive, and think what I’m saying is nonsense… but…” She panted heavily, yet her gaze on Lin Yan remained gentle and soft.

“Analyzing his motive and methods is equivalent to leaving a valuable case study for the Ministry of Public Security. If we encounter such a case or such a criminal suspect in the future, we… we won’t be helpless, and we might even… even be able to detect and prevent it early…”

“Chunan wasn’t the first girl to be harmed, nor will she be the last. Killing to stop killing is not our goal; preventing crime is.”

Song Yuhang, gritting her teeth, crawled over slowly while speaking, bit by bit pushing away her gun muzzle and pulling Lin Yan into her embrace. Her breathing grew heavier, like pulling a bellows.

She swallowed hard, her vision starting to blur. She managed to lift her hand, wiped the tear stains from the corner of Lin Yan’s eye, took the gun into her own hand, and then fumbled in her pocket for handcuffs, handing them to her.

“Be good, Lin Yan. Handcuff me to him, and then… then go get reinforcements…”

Lin Yan didn’t take them and tried to pull back, but Song Yuhang hugged her again, pressing her head down to soothe her emotions. But she knew her time was running out. She felt hot tears fall into the crook of her neck. Song Yuhang smiled, cupped her face, and wiped her tears with her thumb, smearing her pale face with blood in the process.

Song Yuhang let go with a hint of regret. “Don’t cry… I… I promise you… I still owe you a formal confession… and you still owe me… cough cough…” She trailed off, not finishing her sentence. She forcibly pried Lin Yan’s hand open, stuffed the handcuffs into it, and then closed Lin Yan’s fingers around them.

“Quick… go quickly… As long as… as long as I’m here… he won’t… won’t escape…”

Lin Yan looked at their intertwined hands, then at Li Yang’s face. When her gaze returned to Song Yuhang’s face, her lips trembled, and she finally couldn’t hold back, crying out curses.

“Song Yuhang, you bastard!”

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After passing through the dark corridor, they didn’t know how long they had run. The group was panting heavily. Zheng Chengrui stopped, seeing the prison cell they had just passed.

“This way.” He led the way, and Fang Xin and Duan Cheng followed. But Zhang Jinhai suddenly stopped.

They looked back at him. “Captain Zhang—”

The child on his back seemed to move. Zhang Jinhai’s body swayed slightly. He touched his neck. It was blood. The moment he let go, a torrent of blood spurted out.

Duan Cheng, closest to him, was sprayed in the face. Unlike the blood of the dead, the blood of the living was warm and had a metallic tang.

Tears welled up in his eyes without warning, but his body hadn’t yet reacted. He watched, stunned, as the little girl picked up a scalpel and viciously stabbed Zhang Jinhai in the neck again.

Zhang Jinhai stumbled and fell. Fang Xin instantly pounced on him. The bleeding from the major artery couldn’t be stopped no matter how hard she pressed. The young woman started crying, taking off her own police uniform to press against his wound.

Zhang Jinhai coughed, blood frothing at the corners of his lips. He hadn’t finished his words: “My… my daughter… is also… also about that big…”

The child threw down the scalpel, scrambled up from the ground, and, splashing through the water, turned and ran back.

Duan Cheng’s eyes were wide with fury. He roared from his throat, “Stop! Don’t move!!!”

He snatched the service pistol from the hand of Zheng Chengrui, who had collapsed on the ground, and aimed it at the running girl.

But… but…

He gritted his teeth, struggling, his hand trembling. Unconsciously, his face was already streaked with tears.

She was so young, looking less than twenty, her height more like that of a minor. How could she be so ruthless! How could she!!!

Duan Cheng let out a roar from his throat, closed his eyes, and pulled the trigger.

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LP: Re-translated on May 21, 2025

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