Attending ex-girlfriend's wedding, arresting the groom's officer on the spot

“Start recording,” Zhang Kai said into the recording equipment, his voice echoing in the enclosed space. He first examined the body's exterior. The deceased's face was bluish-purple, and a dark ligature mark on the neck was particularly striking, with the skin at the edges rolled inward. “The ligature mark on the deceased's neck is 1.5 centimeters wide, horizontally encircling the neck, and there are obvious signs of life at the edges, indicating that the person was strangled before death.” He picked up a small piece of skin tissue with tweezers. “The skin at the ligature mark is abraded and bleeding, consistent with injuries caused by a rough material like hemp rope.”

After carefully examining the surface of the body, Zhang Kai picked up a scalpel and made a Y-shaped incision along the deceased's chest and abdomen. The moment the subcutaneous fat layer was exposed, a putrid odor filled the autopsy room, and his assistant immediately turned on the ventilation system. "No obvious bleeding was found in the subcutaneous tissue, but there were patchy contusions in the muscle layer at the shoulder and neck area, presumably injuries sustained while resisting arrest," Zhang Kai said, while probing the contused areas with a probe. "These contusions are irregularly shaped, likely caused by blunt force trauma."

When the autopsy reached the stage of examining the internal organs, Zhang Kai first removed the deceased's lungs. "There were scattered bleeding points on the surface of the lung lobes, which is a typical feature of death by asphyxiation." He placed the lungs on the measuring table. "Both lungs were heavier, dark red in color, and had obvious congestion." Next, he began to examine the heart. "There were bleeding spots on the surface of the heart, and the blood in the heart chambers was dark red and flowing, which is also consistent with mechanical asphyxiation."

To more accurately determine the time of death, Zhang Kai conducted a detailed analysis of the deceased's stomach contents. "The deceased had approximately 150 grams of food residue in his stomach, mainly undigested noodles and vegetables. The food was well-preserved, indicating that he was murdered within 1-2 hours after eating." He took samples of the stomach contents and sealed them. "Further testing in the laboratory is needed to determine the specific components of the food and the activity of digestive enzymes to further pinpoint the time."

During the examination of the liver, Zhang Kai discovered an abnormality. "There was mild autolysis at the edge of the liver. Based on the current seasonal temperature and the environment in which the body was located, combined with the degree of liver autolysis, the preliminary estimate of the time of death is between 24 and 36 hours." He picked up a thermometer to measure the rectal temperature of the body. "Considering that the body was exposed to the valley environment and affected by the temperature difference between day and night, it is necessary to make corrections based on entomological evidence."

During the autopsy, Zhang Kai discovered some skin tissue and fibrous material under the victim's fingernails. "Extracting these samples for DNA testing and fibrous component analysis may yield significant discoveries." He carefully placed the samples into an evidence bag, the label detailing the extraction location and time.

Zhang Kai then examined the deceased's skull. When he used a chainsaw to cut open the skullcap, the saw teeth made a screeching sound as they rubbed against the bone. "No fractures were found in the skull, but there was a small amount of bleeding under the dura mater, indicating that the head had been struck by external force." He carefully observed the bleeding area. "The amount of bleeding was small, and I suspect it wasn't the cause of death, but it could have caused the deceased to lose consciousness and thus become unable to resist."

As the autopsy neared its end, Zhang Kai began collecting bodily fluid samples such as blood and urine. "Testing for alcohol content and drug residues in the blood, as well as metabolites in the urine, helps to understand the deceased's physical condition before the murder," he explained. He labeled the samples and handed them to his assistant to be sent to the laboratory.

Ultimately, Zhang Kai concluded from the combined results of the various examinations: "The deceased died of mechanical asphyxiation caused by strangulation with a hemp rope. The preliminary time of death is estimated to be 24-36 hours before the body was discovered. The blunt force trauma to the head may have been an auxiliary method used in the crime. The foreign objects found under the deceased's fingernails and the stomach contents will be further examined and analyzed as important clues."

By the time Zhang Kai stepped out of the autopsy room, night had completely fallen. He took off his protective suit and wearily rubbed his temples. Every detail discovered during the autopsy would become a crucial piece of the puzzle in uncovering the truth of the case. What awaited these clues next was more precise laboratory testing and the meticulous reasoning of the criminal investigation team.

At the same time, the work of identifying the deceased is also being carried out rapidly.

Night fell like thick ink, pressing heavily over the Criminal Investigation Division building. Only the light from Wang Shuai's office stubbornly pierced the darkness. Inside, the computer screen emitted a cold light, illuminating the tired yet focused faces of the officers.

Wang Shuai rubbed his sore eyes, his bloodshot eyeballs darting around in their sockets, before looking again at the densely packed missing persons information on the computer screen. Data flooded in like a tidal wave: names, ages, physical characteristics, times and locations of disappearance… Each record carried the hopes of a broken family, and weighed heavily on the shoulders of the police officers.

"Xiao Zhang, expand the age range by five years, from 20 to 45, and do a second round of screening." Wang Shuai's voice was hoarse from talking for so long. He picked up his coffee cup, only to find it empty, with just crumbs clinging to the sides. Xiao Zhang beside him responded, his fingers flying across the keyboard, eyes glued to the screen, not daring to slack off for a moment. The sound of typing was particularly jarring in the quiet office, like a rapid drumbeat, keeping time for this race against time in the investigation.

Time ticked by, the clock on the wall silently ticking; it was past midnight. The officers remained steadfast at their posts, their eyes dry and stinging from staring at screens for so long, the soreness spreading throughout their eye sockets, yet no one had the energy to rub them. Maintaining the same sitting posture for extended periods had left their backs stiff and aching; even the slightest movement caused their joints to crack and pop, like an old machine protesting its unbearable strain. But faced with the massive amounts of data, they dared not get up or move, fearing they might miss a single crucial clue.

"Xiao Li, zoom in a bit more on this missing person's photo. The facial features aren't very clear; we need to take a closer look to see if it resembles the deceased," Wang Shuai said, pointing to a blurry photo on the screen. Xiao Li scrolled the mouse wheel, gradually zooming in on the photo. The pixels became more distinct, and the figure's outline became increasingly blurry. Xiao Li frowned, leaned close to the screen, almost touching it with his nose, his eyes wide open, scrutinizing every detail, trying to find any resemblance to the deceased in this blurry image.

"Captain Wang, look at this man, Li Pengcheng, 32 years old. He went missing around the time the victim disappeared, and his last known location wasn't far from the crime scene," Xiao Zhang suddenly exclaimed, his voice tinged with a mixture of weariness and excitement. Wang Shuai quickly walked behind Xiao Zhang, his gaze falling on Li Pengcheng's information on the screen. In Li Pengcheng's photo, his face was gaunt, and his eyes held a hint of melancholy. (End of Chapter)