National Forensic Doctor

The single-story factory building, standing over a dozen meters high, still maintained the divisions from forty years ago. The walls had been thoroughly cleaned, and decorative brickwork at the top aided ventilation.

The factory had been emptied, with hardly any manufacturing equipment in sight. The floors and walls, however, were very clean, seemingly with traces of recent renovation.

A few large jars were piled together, most covered in dust, while a few had been used for pickling vegetables or similar purposes.

In a corner of the factory, where the earthy floor had been dug up, one could see a series of bodies laid out in a row, totaling eight in number.

Just counting them shook Jiang Yuan and his colleagues deeply.

Mu Zhiyang, with practiced flattery, said, "Worthy of Beijing."

"We’re starting at fifteen bodies, and with Zhang Lizhen’s, that makes sixteen," Liu Jinghui calculated, furrowing his brows and whispering so only a few could hear, "It doesn’t add up. Burying bodies here is much safer than dumping them in water. The skills demonstrated before and after are too varied."

With more people gathering around the bodies, Liu Jinghui hurried to remind Jiang Yuan to avoid any judgment errors.

Jiang Yuan, standing still, likewise whispered, "Was Zhang Lizhen’s body the beginning, and this here an evolved pattern?"

"Then the gap in between is a bit too wide. From my understanding, there should be an intermediate form," Liu Jinghui said, then quickly added, "Don’t mention this point first; it might lead to misunderstandings. With the number of bodies now, it’s likely to make everyone very sensitive."