Starting with dissecting ghost stories

"Ah Xing, come on, let's walk together for a bit, we're going the same way, right?" Director Wang, holding a thermos, appeared at Shen Xing's office door again after get off work, smiling at Shen Xing.

"Okay." Shen Xing nodded, picked up his bag, and wanted to see if Director Wang had any mental problems.

"Were the police here again?" Walking down the street, Director Wang looked at Shen Xing and asked curiously, "Are you alright, Xing?"

I guess the security guards reported it, since Lu Wenying would definitely need to show her ID to get in.

"Okay, add some more details to the statement, and we'll probably have news about it tomorrow." Shen Xing nodded. "That's it."

"Ah...it's good that you're alright." Director Wang didn't seem very interested in the case. He patted Shen Xing on the back and asked, "You went out for dinner last night, right? What did you think of Xiao Ran?"

"Hmm...she's quite a lively girl," Shen Xing said with a smile. "Shen Yuan likes her very much."

"Heh, it's good that you hit it off, hehe..." Director Wang chuckled and continued, "That silly girl was overjoyed when she came back. She called me to thank me for introducing her to a super handsome guy, and insisted that my husband and I come to her house for lunch today so she can cook for us."

"Haha...it's not that exaggerated, is it?" Shen Xing looked a little shy, then asked, "Uncle Wang, do you often eat at Wang Xinran's house?"

"During the May Day holiday, I had a meal with her and her parents, and another one over the weekend. We've basically kept in touch by phone," Director Wang said, jokingly adding, "How about it? Why don't you come have lunch with us and meet her parents?"

"This is too fast, it will scare people, I wasn't prepared..." Shen Xing waved his hands repeatedly.

"Haha, just kidding. You young people should discuss and decide things yourselves." Director Wang looked at Shen Xing and sighed, "It's great to be young. Seeing you all makes me feel energetic."

"Aren't you in your prime too?" Shen Xing complimented.

I saw him during the May Day holiday, and again last weekend.

The story about introducing myself was probably something I casually mentioned during dinner last week.

This also explains why Director Wang suddenly wanted to get closer to me starting on Monday.

"Could you tell me more about Wang Xinran?" Shen Xing pressed. "I was too nervous last night to ask."

"Wow, that girl is really mischievous. She almost broke a bamboo pole when she was little. That scar is from when she was playing with a hot water bottle..."

Director Wang seemed to have no suspicions and talked at length to Shen Xing about Wang Xinran's "bad deeds" since childhood, as well as some family matters, almost convinced that Shen Xing was his nephew-in-law.

This also gave Shen Xing a better understanding of Wang Xinran's past and present.

Last night, Wang Xinran's personality didn't seem to be an act. She has been enthusiastic, cheerful, and carefree since childhood, and has done a lot of mischievous things. She has toned it down a bit after starting university.

Her parents, who had little formal education and ran a small business, were quite traditional in their thinking. They felt that Wang Xinran was not a proper girl and seemed to have some preference for boys over girls.

After graduating from university, Wang Xinran did not stay in the big city to find a job, but instead followed her parents' arrangements and returned to this small town.

Her parents want her to take the teacher's exam and get a permanent teaching position. She's only 23 years old and graduated just a year ago, and her parents are already looking for blind dates for her every day, seemingly wanting her to get married as soon as possible.

She apparently studied bioengineering in college, which is a popular major that has been heavily promoted. It's considered one of the most promising majors of the 21st century, along with computer science.

However, it's impossible to find a job in a small city; at best, you could become a biology teacher.

Bioengineering? I'm not sure which area you're specializing in—biochemistry, pharmaceuticals, agriculture and forestry, genetics...?

If you studied fermentation, you could work at a winery; the prospects should be pretty good.

However, given the high-pressure situation at home, it's quite rare to see someone with such an optimistic personality.

She even insisted on paying for yesterday's dinner, not letting Shen Xing spend a single penny.

Wang Xinran is still living at home. Her parents and younger brother are probably among the people most severely affected by the abnormality.

We should definitely find an opportunity to go and take a look... Perhaps the source of the anomaly is in her home.

After parting ways with Director Wang at the intersection, Shen Xing headed towards his home.

Unbeknownst to him, after he left, several black SUVs had already passed the highway exit and were heading towards the city bureau.

...

"arrive?"

In his office on the second floor, Chen Liming stood up, rubbed his face to cheer himself up, and jogged quickly down the steps past the policeman in front of him.

Lu Wenying and several other group leaders and deputy team leaders followed behind Chen Liming, looking at the black SUVs parked in the compound.

The middle door of the SUV opened, and Lu Lingyun got out of the car, holding a thermos cup with peeling paint in her hand.

His gaze swept across Chen Liming's face, lingering briefly on Lu Wenying's face, but he didn't stop, leading the team straight towards the office building entrance.

"Director Lu." Chen Liming followed behind.

"Go to the forensic lab to examine the body," Lu Lingyun said, unscrewing the lid of his thermos, taking a sip of water, and then tightening it again. "The rest of you, gather the case files."

"Xiao Lu, take Director Lu to the forensic lab. Everyone else, bring the prepared case files and get to work," Chen Liming instructed the people beside him, while following Lu Lingyun, "Director Lu, we've finished investigating this case. Shall we go to the conference room to report first..."

Whether it's over or not isn't up to you, nor is it up to me.

Lu Lingyun seemed to have no intention of exchanging pleasantries or going to the conference room. He followed Lu Wenyin directly to the forensic room.

The forensic room was dimly lit. On the stainless steel tray of the autopsy table were three processed cervical vertebrae, and next to them was an evidence bag containing a boning knife.

Lu Lingyun stopped in front of the tray.

He placed the thermos on the edge of the dissection table, pulled over a round stool to sit down, and took out a pair of white latex gloves from a box next to him and put them on.

He picked up the largest piece of cervical vertebrae.

The incandescent light shone on the broken bone ends, revealing clean edges and a tiny chipped defect.

Lu Lingyun picked up the boning knife from the evidence bag and, through the plastic bag, inserted the blade into the bone defect.

Metal is bonded to bone.

Lu Wenying stood behind Lu Lingyun, her gaze fixed on the perfectly matched knife cut.

Lu Lingyun pulled out the knife, put down the cervical vertebrae, and picked up the autopsy report on the table.

The sound of pages turning echoed in the dissection room.

Lu Lingyun's gaze lingered on the last paragraph of the report.

"Irrational slashing under hallucinogenic mania." Lu Lingyun closed the report and put the paper back on the table.

He turned to look at Wang Liyong.

Old Wang avoided looking at the anti-slip floor tiles under his feet.

"Did you come up with the idea of ​​steaming bones yourself?" Lu Lingyun took off his gloves, threw them into the iron bucket, and picked up the thermos.

"The soft tissue damage at the scene was severe, and conventional methods cannot be used for comparison." Old Wang looked up, his gaze falling on the thermos cup.

Lu Lingyun unscrewed the cup lid.

"The report is well written," he blew on the hot air from the rim of his cup. "The wording is exquisite, and the logic is rigorous. Liyong, you've been a grassroots forensic doctor for half your life, and your skills and writing have improved... Give me the report, the first version."

Old Wang clasped his hands together and rubbed his thumbs together.

Chen Liming stood by the door, his back against the wall.

"Shen Xing came by?" Lu Lingyun took a small sip of water.

Chen Liming and Wang Liyong both felt cold sweat breaking out on their backs.

"Damn it, this kid is trying to fool me with what I taught him." Lu Lingyun closed the thermos lid, chuckled and cursed, then said, "All corpses, bones, and evidence, vacuum-seal them, Xiao Chen."

"I'm here." Chen Liming stepped forward and stood behind Lu Lingyun.

"Is the case closed?" Lu Lingyun asked unhurriedly.

"Yes, it's basically confirmed. Li Ya was the murderer, dismembered the body, and dumped it in the river. The river flooded during the rainy season..."

"If you think there are no problems, let's close this case. The media can say whatever they want."

Hearing this, Chen Liming looked somewhat bewildered.

Lu Lingyun stood up and continued:

"Chen Liming, Wang Liyong, you two stay here."

"Lu Wenying".

Lu Wenying stood up straight and saluted: "Here!"

"All comrades are to stay in their offices. They are not allowed to come out without orders, and they are not allowed to whisper to each other."

"Give each person a piece of paper and a pen, and write down any doubts they have about the case. After writing, sign and put your fingerprint on the paper. The paper must be at least 500 words long."

"Wang Liyong, Chen Liming, you two also need to write."

"besides."

Lu Lingyun glanced at Chen Liming's face and said:

"Publicly, the case is closed, no problem."

"The task force will take away all the remaining evidence and files. This case is now officially under the task force's jurisdiction."

Chen Liming was on the verge of tears. He opened his mouth and said, "This...this doesn't comply with the regulations, does it?"

"New regulations."

Lu Lingyun nodded slightly, looked at Chen Liming and smiled, his lips curving upwards, revealing the wrinkles on his face.

"Do you have any further comments?"

Lu Lingyun got out of the car less than five minutes later.

The entire compound felt like it had been put into a pressure cooker, and everyone was struggling to breathe.