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

"Okay, thank you for your hard work." Lu Chuan nodded. "During the transfer, you must be careful and ensure the safety of the body and evidence. Once you arrive at the branch, notify Zhang Kai immediately and have him prepare for the autopsy. Start the autopsy as soon as possible, and let me know immediately if you find anything."

"Understood, Captain Lu."

Hanging up the phone, Lu Chuan breathed a sigh of relief. The body transfer was a crucial step; as long as the body could be safely transported back to the branch, a forensic autopsy would yield more valuable clues, propelling the investigation forward significantly. He glanced up at the mountainside; the mist still swirled, and the abandoned cave dwelling, hidden by dense vegetation, appeared even more eerie. He silently vowed: "Don't worry, we will definitely find out the truth, catch the murderer, and bring you justice."

Half an hour later, Yang Sen called again to inform Lu Chuan that the body had been safely transported back to the branch's forensic identification center, and Zhang Kai was ready to conduct an autopsy. Lu Chuan was relieved. After arranging for on-site surveillance and follow-up investigations at Zhangjiagou, he and several police officers drove back to the city's criminal investigation branch.

At this moment, the Forensic Identification Center of the Municipal Criminal Investigation Detachment was bustling with activity. Located on the basement floor of the detachment building, the center was clean and solemn, with a faint smell of disinfectant in the air, a stark contrast to the stench of decay emanating from the mountain caves. Inside the autopsy room, the stark white lights illuminated the entire space. A white waterproof sheet covered the autopsy table, and the corpse was carefully placed on it, covered with a white drape, revealing only the severely decomposed limbs. Even through the thick protective glass and gas masks, a faint odor of decay could still be detected.

Zhang Kai, dressed in a white autopsy gown, mask, gloves, goggles, and a gas mask, stood beside the autopsy table, carefully examining the corpse's appearance and preparing for the dissection. In his forties, of medium build, with sharp, steady eyes and an expressionless face, he appeared exceptionally serious. He had worked as a forensic pathologist for twenty years, possessing extensive experience and having solved countless difficult murder cases. Whether the corpse was highly decomposed or incomplete, he could always find crucial clues, providing strong support for the investigation.

Beside him stood his assistant, Lin Xiao, a young woman in her early twenties who had only recently started working. Although inexperienced, she was diligent, meticulous, and eager to learn—Zhang Kai's protégé. Lin Xiao, also dressed in a white dissection gown and full protective gear, wore a hint of nervousness on her face, but her eyes remained resolute. She was diligently preparing the dissection tools and completing all the necessary pre-dissection tasks as instructed by Zhang Kai.

"Master, all the dissection tools are ready, the disinfection work is complete, and the body is secured. We can begin the dissection," Lin Xiao said softly, her voice trembling slightly. Although she had handled many corpses with Zhang Kai, this was the first time she had seen such a highly decomposed body, and she couldn't help but feel a little scared.

Zhang Kai nodded, his gaze still fixed on the corpse, and said calmly, "Okay, let's begin. First, conduct a detailed examination of the body, carefully observe the degree of decomposition, any damage to the body surface, and the condition of any clothing residue. Make a record and don't overlook any detail. Remember, a highly decomposed body will obscure many clues, but it will also leave some traces that are not easily destroyed. These traces may very well be the key to solving the case."

"Understood, Master." Lin Xiao nodded quickly, picked up the dissection tools in his hand, and carefully approached the dissection table. Following Zhang Kai's instructions, he began to conduct a detailed examination of the corpse's exterior.

Zhang Kai stood to the side, his eyes fixed on the corpse, occasionally reminding Lin Xiao: "Carefully observe the state of decomposition of the body, judge the degree of decomposition, and combine it with the scene to make a preliminary estimate of the time of death. Pay attention to the surface of the body. Although it is highly decomposed, you should still examine it carefully to see if there are any open wounds, blunt force injuries, sharp force injuries, rope marks, or strangulation marks. These can help us determine the cause of death."

Lin Xiao nodded as he carefully examined the corpse. Holding tweezers, he meticulously brushed away the putrefactive secretions and insects on the surface, examining every part with careful attention. He muttered to himself as he took notes: "Master, the corpse is highly decomposed, with extensive dissolution and sloughing of soft tissue. The head, torso, and limbs all show varying degrees of decay, and some limb tissue is missing. The preliminary assessment is moderate decomposition. The corpse is in a lateral recumbent position with its limbs curled up, which is likely the position it took to be dragged after death, rather than its original death position."

"The body was covered with a large amount of putrefactive secretions, which were black in color and had a pungent odor. There were a large number of insects and ants around it, mainly fly larvae and beetles. Based on the ambient temperature and humidity, as well as the growth and development of the insects and ants, the preliminary estimate of the time of death is between 48 and 72 hours, or about three days. The exact time of death will need to be determined by an autopsy, which will examine the decomposition of the internal organs, the digestion of the stomach contents, and the extraction of bodily fluids and tissues for further testing."

"No obvious open wounds were found on the body surface, nor were there any signs of sharp or blunt force injuries. The skin was severely decomposed, making it impossible to determine whether there was subcutaneous bleeding. The neck was severely decomposed, with muscle tissue dissolved, making it impossible to determine whether there were rope marks or strangulation marks, and thus impossible to determine whether the cause of death was asphyxiation. No obvious binding marks were found at the joints of the limbs, and no trace evidence such as hair or skin tissue was extracted from under the fingernails. This may have been cleaned by the murderer after death, or it may have been damaged by insects and fallen off naturally."

"The clothing on the body was completely decomposed and torn into tiny fiber fragments scattered around the autopsy table and the body. It was impossible to determine the original style, color, or brand of the clothing. No clothing markings, such as buttons, zippers, logos, or tags, were found, making it impossible to identify the deceased through the clothing. Some of the clothing fiber fragments were extracted and handed over to the technical department for material and type testing to see if any valuable clues could be found."

Zhang Kai listened attentively to Lin Xiao's report, occasionally stepping forward to personally examine key areas of the corpse. He used tweezers to part the decaying tissue and carefully inspected the area, adding, "Notice that on the right wrist, although the decomposition is severe, you can vaguely see a small indentation. This mark doesn't seem to be from natural decay or insect damage. It's very likely that the victim wore jewelry, such as a watch or bracelet, which was removed by the murderer after death, leaving this mark." (End of Chapter)