Diary of a Criminal Investigator

Calm days didn’t last for long; in less than a week, Lu Chuan was forced to go on a business trip.

The call came from Li Donglin, and Wang Changjiang was coming along as well.

A major case occurred in the neighboring Tianzhou City and was directly reported to the provincial major case task force.

Li Donglin was urgently assigned the mission and began forming the task force early in the morning, assembling personnel. Aside from the previously appointed members, this time a few forensic doctors from the Criminal Investigation Team were included.

The absolute number of forensic doctors in any Public Security Bureau isn’t small, but the number of experienced forensic doctors in each city is probably just one or two.

For example, Tianzhou City and Haizhou City each have only one capable forensic doctor, someone who has seen many corpses and been involved in many cases, acknowledged throughout the province.

Wang Changjiang had been seconded by the province for investigations many times, but in recent years, the frequency has decreased.

The reason primarily being that local places have cultivated their forensic professionals, making him less needed.

This time, being seconded again, it surely isn’t a minor case.

On the highway to Tianzhou City, Wang Changjiang and Lu Chuan began discussing the case.

"It’s a serial murder case."

Wang Changjiang was familiar with Tianzhou City’s forensic doctor and had called ahead to inquire about the situation.

"Were many people killed?"

"Not many, actually; just four people have been found so far."

Four people?

Still calling it not many?

Wang Changjiang took the cigarette Lu Chuan handed him: "Found in the Wang Family River channel."

"Wang Family River?"

Lu Chuan had heard of this river; it’s one of the larger rivers surrounding Tianzhou City, with a significant flow. Lu Chuan often heard about floods from Wang Family River, which frequently submerged nearby villages.

In recent years, they’re constructing a dam upriver, preparing to build a hydropower station.

"That Wang Family River where they’re building the hydropower plant?"

Wang Changjiang nodded: "Three days ago, the hydropower station was completed and began operations, starting to store water. The upstream water was retained, and the downstream water level quickly declined, leading local villagers to discover several black bags chained together."

"Curious ones opened it... then called the police."

Corpse disposal in the river.

"Are there any clues now?"

"None at all; the identities of the corpses can’t be determined now. Including myself, ten forensic doctors have been drafted for this task, precisely to handle the corpses."

"Ten forensic doctors? Why so many?"

Wang Changjiang gave a wry smile: "Because the water level is gradually declining, four corpses were found yesterday, and another today, making it five now... as for how many more..."

Wang Changjiang’s meaning was clear—no one knows how many more might be found.

Tianzhou City’s Criminal Investigation Team was decisive, directly reporting the case.

No other option—Tianzhou City’s Criminal Investigation Team is currently handling a robbery-murder case, likely committed randomly by outsiders. There’s no clue at all, and all of Tianzhou City’s Public Security Bureau resources are tied up with this case.

This newly discovered serial murder case involving five corpses certainly requires external assistance for investigation.

When Lu Chuan and his group arrived, Li Donglin and others were already there. Compared to last time, the task force included familiar faces like Song Mingguang, Wang Song, and more forensic doctors.

Wang Changjiang knew them, and they all exchanged greetings.

"Alright, the most crucial task now is to determine the victims’ identities. The forensic doctors will have to work hard."

Wang Changjiang and others nodded knowingly, as they were there to handle this task.

Tianzhou City’s Criminal Investigation Team’s forensic doctor Sun Jian was highly skilled among the many and had previously learned from the province’s top forensic doctor Zhang Yuanchao.

"Colleagues, the task ahead is tough, thank you all for coming to support."

"Forensic Doctor Sun, no need for formalities, shall we begin?"

Sun Jian nodded and led a large group of ten forensic doctors to Tianzhou City’s Criminal Investigation Team’s autopsy room.

"Lu Chuan, given you’re part of the Crime Scene Investigation, there aren’t useful clues near the river. As the recovery team searches the remaining river sections, accompany the forensic doctors to check if any traces were left on the boxes or bodies by the perpetrator."

Lu Chuan nodded; in such long-duration body disposal cases, Crime Scene Investigation usually focuses on the bodies, as environmental factors rarely leave valuable clues.

Inside the autopsy room.

Five black leather bags were neatly placed on the floor, four of which were cupped with chains outside, only one was in an open state.

"The corpses in the river have been soaked for over a year, with no clothing, no heads; just dismembered trunks and limbs."

Sun Jian described the condition of the opened box.

"I recommend proceeding directly with bone-flesh separation, as the skin and flesh have decomposed, rendering examination unnecessary."

This involved a common practice in forensic autopsy.

The so-called bone-flesh separation refers to when the skin and flesh of a corpse have largely decomposed and cannot provide valuable autopsy results, forensic doctors identify the skeleton to determine the approximate time of death and assess basic information of the deceased.

Wang Changjiang and others stepped forward to examine the inside of the black box, nodding in agreement.

Due to prolonged soaking, the bodies had already turned into a state of decomposition and liquefaction.

Moreover, without the protection of water, the stench of the corpses could be likened to biochemical weapons.

"Old Sun, should we start one by one, or split into groups and proceed?"

"Five corpses, let’s work in groups, otherwise it’ll be impossible. I’ve ordered large pots, where the trunk parts—even if large—can be boiled directly."

Boiling is the first step in forensic bone-flesh separation, used to clean residual flesh from bones.

Among all methods, boiling won’t cause secondary damage to bones.

This methodology...

The forensic doctors present were experienced, each having gone through it at least once; only Lu Chuan...

He, being an inexperienced Crime Scene Investigation officer, hadn’t gone through such trials.

Clearly, before forensic doctors undertake bone-flesh separation, he had to step in.

"Forensic Doctor Sun, I’ll photograph first, plus these boxes, chains need a Crime Scene Investigation check too."

"Alright, Officer Lu, start with the opened corpse bag; once that’s done, we’ll begin boiling it."

Lu Chuan nodded, taking out his camera and other equipment to start the examination.

The soaking time was too long; fingerprints on the box were out of question.

Fingerprints can be extracted shortly after soaking because the oil secreted by fingers won’t quickly dissolve in water.

However, after a long period, beyond 24 hours, extraction becomes very challenging.

With these boxes being submerged for an unknown duration, even imagining a successful extraction is futile.

Lu Chuan focused his attention on the chains.

Deadlock!

The perpetrator used steel nails to secure deadlocks instead of chains locked with keys.

The chains of the box housing the first corpse were cut open with a saw, leaving obvious marks.

"Done by the reporter?"

"Yes, reporters from the village assumed it held something valuable, sawed it open and discovered it was a corpse, vomiting up bile."

One shouldn’t harbor excessive curiosity.