In the blink of an eye, rapid footsteps echoed, and the pressure on the back of her head vanished. Yu Shi remained in her gun-holding stance, turning her head to look behind her. Li Yu, who had arrived unnoticed, had tackled the man dressed in black, sending both of them tumbling to the ground. Li Yu pressed the muzzle of his gun against the man and said, “You’re the one who should drop it.”
Seeing the dark barrel aimed directly at his forehead, the man finally released his grip, letting his gun clatter to the floor. Li Yu, in an awkward position, kicked it away with his foot.
Yu Shi gestured for the other two men to place their hands behind their heads and squat down. She then glanced at Xiang Ling on the operating table. Her face is pale, with dried blood staining her forehead. Her body is cold as if she had just been immersed in ice water. Yu Shi removed her own jacket and draped it over Xiang Ling’s exposed upper body. She listened for a heartbeat and breathing. Although faint, thankfully, she was still alive. The freshly made incision continued to bleed steadily. Yu Shi grabbed a random piece of cloth and pressed it against the wound. The white fabric quickly soaked through, turning red and damp. She could feel her palm growing sticky with blood.
Other team members who had been searching elsewhere in the hospital rushed over upon receiving the alert. At the same time, the distant wail of an ambulance siren grew louder.
After handing the car keys to Li Yu, Yu Shi accompanied the ambulance to the hospital. Xiang Ling’s surgery didn’t take long. The doctor explained that she had been placed under general anesthesia. The perpetrators had intended to harvest her organs while she was still alive, as organ quality declines after death. Additionally, she had numerous bruises and impact injuries, both old and new. Aside from a severe rib fracture, the rest were minor. She would only need rest to recover.
Yu Shi had indeed seen those injuries—on her arms, abdomen, and sides—all inflicted over the past two days. With ribs fractured, it was no wonder she had taken leave from work.
Yu Shi helped complete the hospital admission procedures and called Li Yu to check on the progress. Li Yu reported that Bao Shihei had escaped by jumping out a window wearing only his underwear. But after running through seven streets, he had been subdued and apprehended. As for the buyers behind the organ trafficking, the investigation was still ongoing.
Yu Shi entered the hospital room where Xiang Ling remained unconscious. She overheard the doctor cursing the incompetence of the perpetrators, who had administered an excessive dose of anesthesia, causing Xiang Ling’s heart to stop briefly during surgery. Fortunately, she had been revived.
Watching the color gradually return to Xiang Ling’s face, Yu Shi’s tense nerves finally relaxed completely. Exhausted, she sat by the bedside and fell asleep.
It seemed she had only just dozed off when she was jolted awake by a scream. Blinking groggily, she saw nurses struggling to restrain Xiang Ling, who was screaming hysterically and thrashing to get out of bed. Yu Shi immediately helped pin her down. The doctor arrived promptly and administered a sedative, calming her down.
Wiping her face, Yu Shi noticed the bright morning light outside the window. Checking the time, it was already 8 a.m. Today was her day off, so she wasn’t in a hurry to return to work. With plenty of time, she sought out the doctor to inquire about Xiang Ling’s condition.
After an unreserved conversation between both parties, the doctor provided an answer. He explained that Xiang Ling, having suffered long-term domestic violence, had developed sequelae. Her mind would become highly tense due to sudden changes, especially after experiencing yesterday’s events. Waking up in an unfamiliar environment surrounded by strangers had made it impossible for her to control her urge to flee.
Reminded by the doctor, Yu Shi vaguely recalled seeing several medicine bottles in Xiang Ling’s room drawer the previous night. At the time, she hadn’t paid attention to what kind of medicine they were, but she had taken photos of the scene as a precaution. Enlarging the images of the medicine bottles, the doctor confirmed they were indeed medications for treating nervous tension. The doctor suggested adding them to future prescriptions.
Later, Yu Shi asked whether Xiang Ling would need to be sedated every time she woke up in such a state. The doctor advised avoiding medication as much as possible, as frequent use could harm her health. If possible, they should try to calm her down first, reserving sedatives as a last resort.
Li Yu left the police station and headed to the hospital to check on Xiang Ling’s condition. If her state allowed, he hoped to take a statement. His partner was on leave today, so he didn’t disturb her and went to the hospital alone. Upon arriving outside Xiang Ling’s room, he found Yu Shi sitting alone on a chair in the hallway.
“Sis Yu, have you been at the hospital all night?” He bought two bottles of coffee from a nearby vending machine and handed one to Yu Shi.
Yu Shi pressed the cool coffee bottle against her forehead, feeling her mind clear a little. “I was worried something might happen to her during the night, so I stayed.”
“Hasn’t she woken up yet?” Li Yu peeked through the small window in the door. The curtains were half-drawn. It seemed she was still asleep.
“She woke up, but she was very unstable emotionally. They had to give her a sedative,” Yu Shi explained, taking several gulps of coffee.
“Tsk! What a beast of a father,” Li Yu said with disgust. Everyone at the station who knew about this incident looked at Xiang Yuanzhi with contempt.
“How’s the buyer?” Yu Shi tossed the empty bottle into the trash and stretched.
“Bao Shihei has remained silent since yesterday. Aside from eating, drinking, and using the bathroom, he hasn’t said a word. Only he knows the buyer’s identity. The others caught at the scene were only responsible for harvesting organs and transportation. They know nothing else.”
“I’ll handle taking her statement. You go back first. Given the situation, you probably won’t be much help here.”
After sending Li Yu away, Yu Shi entered the room and sat by the bed. Outside, a drizzle continued to fall. The weather was cold. She was only wearing a thin sweater that didn’t provide much warmth. Her coat was stained with blood. She’d have to see if she could wash it clean later.
Li Yu had brought some fruit when he came. Yu Shi was feeling a bit hungry. Afraid that Xiang Ling might wake up while she was away eating, she picked an apple. She wiped it with a tissue and began to munch on it.
She had only taken a few bites, with a large chunk of apple still unchewed in her mouth, when she suddenly locked eyes with someone else. As the other person’s expression gradually turned to terror, Yu Shi instinctively stifled the scream that was about to escape by covering Xiang Ling’s mouth. Seeing Yu Shi’s hand over her mouth, Xiang Ling panicked even more and bit down hard, nearly making Yu Shi scream in pain.
Yu Shi dropped the apple in her hand and, without caring whether the piece in her mouth was properly chewed, swallowed it down, almost choking herself in the process.
In the chaos, she sat down on the bed, using all her strength to hold the person tightly. Enduring the pain of being bitten and the struggle, she whispered soothingly, “Don’t be afraid. You’re safe…”
A nurse on rounds saw this from the doorway and was about to step in to help, but Yu Shi stopped her. She kept repeating words of comfort until Xiang Ling’s heavy breathing gradually calmed down. Finally, Xiang Ling released her bite. She buried her face in Yu Shi’s shoulder and sobbed through gritted teeth. Yu Shi continued to gently pat Xiang Ling’s back.
Even crying had to be restrained. Yu Shi wondered why she had to be like this, but didn’t let go.
After crying for a long time, Yu Shi’s limbs grew numb from holding the same position for too long. Only then did Xiang Ling quiet down. After composing herself in a way Yu Shi couldn’t see, she tapped Yu Shi’s arm to signal she could let go.
Yu Shi remained cautious, afraid that any sudden movement might trigger Xiang Ling again. Only after confirming that Xiang Ling had truly calmed down did she fully leave the hospital bed and return to her chair.
Xiang Ling covered her face with one hand. Yu Shi could tell she felt ashamed and guilty about her earlier behavior, so she pretended not to care and asked, “Do you want an apple?”
Xiang Ling remained silent for a moment before looking up, her expression returning to the cold and distant one Yu Shi was familiar with. She seemed to be gathering her thoughts before replying, “No.”
“Then I’ll have one. Don’t mind me.” With that, Yu Shi took a bite of the slightly oxidized apple.
The two fell into silence, broken only by the awkward sound of Yu Shi chewing the apple. The atmosphere couldn’t have been more uncomfortable. Though eating, Yu Shi kept her eyes on Xiang Ling as much as possible. Noticing Xiang Ling’s stiff posture, she tossed the apple core and helped adjust the bed’s height so Xiang Ling could lean back comfortably.
“The doctor said you have a rib fracture. Try not to move too much, or it’ll hurt like hell.”
Unexpectedly, Xiang Ling replied coldly, “I’m used to it anyway.”
Whether she was used to the pain or used to fractures, Yu Shi thought it was better not to get used to such things.
“Xiang Yuanzhi and the others have been arrested.” Observing Xiang Ling’s expression, Yu Shi added, “If there’s anything you want to say, tell me when you’re ready.”
She didn’t force Xiang Ling to give a statement, knowing it would be like tearing open the victim’s wounds again. No one in the world could bear another person’s pain. If Xiang Ling couldn’t do it, Yu Shi would handle the case as if the victim were unable to provide a statement.
Without pressure or urgency, Yu Shi quietly stayed by Xiang Ling’s side, watching the changing clouds outside the window and the drizzle that started and stopped intermittently.
“His domestic violence started when I was in my second year of high school.” With these words, Xiang Ling began recounting her past.
Her family was well-off when she was young. Her father, Xiang Yuanzhi, ran his own company, and business was thriving. The couple was loving, their daughter was filial and academically successful. It was a model family by all appearances.
But Xiang Ling was actually growing weary of life. When her grades came out, she felt no anticipation. Her teachers’ praise treated her efforts as a given, just “normal performance”. And she felt the same way. Life held no surprises. The monotonous routine felt like she wasn’t living her own life, but rather like a game player replaying a fully completed save file, with her as the character being controlled.
One day after school, instead of heading straight home, she stepped into a convenience store. While searching the snack aisle for her favorite chocolate, she noticed a man in the corner taking two bread rolls from the shelf. He tucked one into his jacket and paid for the other before leaving. She was the only one in the store who saw the whole thing.
She walked over to the bread shelf and glanced at the prices. The bread he paid for was much cheaper than the one he had hidden. She wondered if he had taken other items from the store before this.
Looking up at the ceiling, she saw two surveillance cameras installed, one of which had no red light. After picking up her chocolate, she went to the fridge near the counter to choose a drink. From this angle, she glanced at the computer by the register and noticed that only one of the two surveillance feeds was active on the screen. The other was either broken or turned off. The cashier was busy checking out customers and didn’t notice her actions.
On impulse, she imitated the thief’s behavior. From a snack shelf out of the camera’s view, she stealthily grabbed a few chocolate bars and slipped them into her bag, which she had already unzipped slightly. Then, she took a bottle of drink and a bag of chocolate to the counter to pay. It wasn’t until she safely walked out of the convenience store that she realized what she had done.
She wasn’t short on money, nor did she lack chocolate that could be bought with money. What she lacked was a feeling she couldn’t find in her current life.
Thrill!
That night, she threw the stolen chocolate bars into a roadside trash bin. She didn’t know why she had stolen them, only to throw them away. She just didn’t want to keep them, nor did she want to eat them.
In the days that followed, she occasionally stole again, choosing different locations and taking different items, only to discard everything she stole. No one noticed, and she was never caught.
Gradually, stealing these small items became effortless. As long as she observed carefully and timed it right, she would never be discovered. At school, she remained the high-achieving student with “normal performance”. After school, she was a skilled thief. This little secret, known only to her, kept a sense of solitary passion alive in her heart.
After her first year of high school ended and before her second year began, Xiang Ling wandered around a bookstore. She had been observing the store for several days and had a clear idea of the surveillance camera’s coverage, including which spots and angles were blind spots. Over the past few days, she had bought quite a few books from the store. It was time to steal one.
After picking out a few extracurricular books she needed for her second year, Xiang Ling casually selected a novel and slipped it into her bag. Then, she confidently took the extracurricular books to the counter to pay.
Carrying the bag out of the bookstore, she felt an indescribable sensation. This feeling was interrupted a few steps away from the store by a voice calling out, “Xiang Ling!”
She halted in her tracks, feeling as if the blood in her veins had frozen in an instant. Turning around, she saw a familiar figure standing at the entrance of the bookstore, holding a bag identical to hers.
In that moment, whether out of guilt or fear, she could see in the eyes of the person calling her name that her every move had finally been noticed after a year. Without a second thought, she turned and ran. Xiang Ling’s mother, seeing her daughter flee, naturally gave chase, wanting to know why the other had resorted to stealing in the bookstore.
Xiang Ling ran far, only stopping when no one was following her. She dug the stolen novel out of her bag and tossed it into a nearby pile of trash. Her mind was a chaotic mess of thoughts. Had her mother seen her steal, or was it just a chance encounter? Realizing she had overreacted, she knew trying to fix things now would only seem suspicious. How could she explain it all away when she got home? Just then, her phone rang. Glancing at the caller ID, she tugged at her hair in frustration, unsure whether to answer. In the end, she let it ring until it stopped on its own.
Leaning against a wall, she decided it was better to pretend she knew nothing. She threw away the extracurricular books she had just bought, then went to a clothing store to buy new clothes and change out of what she was wearing. She resolved to act as if she had never been to the bookstore. The person her mother saw was dressed differently. As long as she could keep up the act, she could make anyone doubt their own memory.
After pulling herself together, she hailed a taxi home. Strangely, as time ticked by, the front door she had closed remained shut. Though anxious about her parents’ return, she was even more puzzled that there were no calls on her phone and no one had come home.
As if seizing the perfect moment, her phone rang again. Startled, she saw the caller ID. It wasn’t who she had expected. She answered. After listening to what the caller had to say, her legs gave way, and she collapsed to the floor.
It seemed she hadn’t fully grasped what had happened. Her mind went blank, as if she had gone through a long, empty stretch of thought. Thinking a lot, yet thinking nothing at all. Her heart raced so fast it made her chest tighten, leaving her breathless and dizzy…
After what felt like an eternity, she flung the phone she had been gripping tightly. It hit the corner of the wall and shattered into countless pieces. Once she calmed down, she hurriedly picked it up. The phone was broken, with the screen completely shattered.
Regretting her momentary impulse, she rushed to the hospital in a panic. There, she was met with her mother’s body covered by a white sheet and her father sobbing in the corner. A police officer explained what had happened. Her mother had been hit by a truck while crossing the road. The truck hadn’t violated any traffic rules or speed limits. Her mother had crossed as the green light was about to turn red. The accident had occurred along the same route she had fled hours earlier. In other words, her mother had been hit and killed while chasing her.
Things had reached this point. She no longer had any reason to keep hiding the truth. After confessing, she was met with a barrage of slaps from Xiang Yuanzhi, beaten so severely that she couldn’t get up from the floor, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth. If not for the police intervening, she felt she might have died on the spot.
Over time, the rift between her and Xiang Yuanzhi grew deeper. They spoke only when absolutely necessary. Due to the sudden changes, Xiang Yuanzhi made a series of poor decisions at work, ultimately leading to the company’s collapse. He began drinking heavily. When drunk, he would often beat and curse at her, frequently shouting, “You killed your mother.” Every time Xiang Ling heard those words, she stopped resisting, allowing Xiang Yuanzhi to hit her, even wishing he would just beat her to death.
They moved to a new place. At school, Xiang Ling pretended to live as if nothing was wrong. But her grades steadily declined, and she couldn’t avoid hearing the gossip behind her back. After desperately pulling her grades back up, she managed to complete her three years of high school, got into university, and secured a full scholarship.
However, the long-term domestic abuse took a toll on her mental health. She sought out a doctor herself, while Xiang Yuanzhi paid her no further attention. They became strangers living under the same roof. Later, Xiang Yuanzhi’s gambling addiction grew worse. He sold everything of value in the house, losing all the money at the gambling table. Xiang Ling, who had been working one job a day, could no longer sustain the household. She had no choice but to drop out of school midway, spending all her waking hours working.
Then, this incident happened. Perhaps Xiang Yuanzhi had truly grown tired of it all, or perhaps seeing Xiang Ling only reminded him of what she had done. He inquired about the prices of organ trading on the black market and, after contacting Bao Shihei, sold her off, trading the daughter he had raised for so many years for more chips to continue his gambling spree.
“I remember you asked me last time why Zhou Jiaqian and her mother would grieve over Zhou Chengxin’s death.”
“I would never grieve for him. No matter what happens to him in the future, I will only despise him.”
For the first time during their conversation, Xiang Ling looked directly at Yu Shi, her eyes still cold and devoid of emotion.
Yu Shi tried her best not to show any emotion, asking like an emotionless machine, “Then why didn’t you let me help you back then?”
“Because every time he hit me, he would curse me for killing my mother.”
In the face of Xiang Ling’s cold tone, Yu Shi was left speechless, unable to find a way to continue the conversation. Xiang Ling spoke again on her own: “And I really did kill my mother.”
This statement made Yu Shi feel even more uneasy. She asked hoarsely, “What did you do?”
“That day after school, I stole something from a bookstore. My mother saw me and chased after me. She was hit by a truck.”
As Xiang Ling said this, her fingers twisted together. It was the first time she had ever told anyone about this.
“If you truly feel guilty, then keep that guilt in your heart and bear it silently, alone, until the day you die. Just like this time, I will also carry the guilt of not answering the phone in time to save you in my heart, for the rest of my life.” After a pause, Yu Shi continued, “But no one can place blame on you, nor can anyone justify harming others with seemingly noble reasons. If someone passively endures the malice of others, it will only fuel that malice endlessly. Perpetrators won’t feel remorse because the victim endures. Instead, they’ll develop the illusion that their wrongful actions are actually justified.”
After hearing this, Xiang Ling didn’t argue or respond. She turned slightly. Yu Shi couldn’t see whether her eyes were open. Sensing the conversation had come to an end, Yu Shi offered a few words of advice before leaving the hospital room.
Later, Xiang Ling stayed in the hospital for nearly a week. After being cleared by the doctor for discharge, Yu Shi and Li Yu escorted her home. The apartment had been tidied up beforehand, and the broken door lock had been replaced with a new one. Originally, Yu Shi wanted to take Xiang Ling to her own home to care for her until her wounds fully healed, but Xiang Ling refused, insisting on returning to this old apartment building.
Due to the severity of the case, after entering the prosecution process, the court date was scheduled sooner than expected. The trial was also set as a closed hearing, with only relevant parties allowed to attend, in order to protect the victim’s privacy. The media only had access to the information disclosed by the police.
Xiang Ling did not attend the final sentencing. Since the criminals had pleaded guilty and the evidence was sufficient, her presence was unnecessary. She also did not want to know the outcome. Whether Xiang Yuanzhi lived or died no longer concerned her. She had thought the matter would end there, but it did not.
In his confession, Bao Shihei stated that there was no buyer for the organs, which raised a suspicion: if there was no buyer, why were they in such a hurry to harvest the organs?
Organs are not like other items. Once removed from the human body, their viability begins to decline, and their quality deteriorates over time. Therefore, organ trafficking typically only proceeds with harvesting after a buyer is confirmed. This was also why Xiang Ling was not immediately cut open after being kidnapped. Both buyers and sellers needed to repeatedly verify the quality of the organs and the details of the transaction. Both parties had to arrange at least one medical team. The process from harvesting to transplantation into another person’s body had to be as fast as possible.
Although Yu Shi strongly urged further investigation into the buyer’s leads, the higher-ups ordered the case to be closed quickly to avoid complications. Moreover, public and media scrutiny could negatively impact the police force. In the end, the case quietly concluded after Yu Shi cursed at Captain Gao a few times.
Yu Shi had Xiang Ling’s broken phone repaired and saved her own number in it, telling Xiang Ling to contact her if anything happened. She also visited from time to time. Although Xiang Ling always opened the door expressionlessly and let her in, the two of them would sit in the same space with only Yu Shi engaging in awkward small talk, while Xiang Ling responded as briefly as possible. The most they had ever spoken was during their time at the hospital.
At two o’clock on a weekend afternoon, both of them were sitting on the sofa watching TV. The channel had been set to the World Animal Channel since it was turned on. Neither of them had bothered to change it, each privately blaming it on not being able to find the remote.
On the screen, a cheetah was hunting an antelope. Out of nowhere, Yu Shi suddenly asked, “Do you feel particularly awkward?” She immediately regretted it. Why bring up such an uncomfortable topic? The atmosphere between them was already awkward enough, and after asking, the air seemed to freeze.
Xiang Ling didn’t know how to answer. Saying “yes” would make things even more awkward, while saying “no” felt like lying to herself.
Yu Shi asked again, “What are your plans after this?”
“Sell the house and go back to school.” Xiang Ling watched as the cheetah chased its prey on the screen, the two running neck and neck until the cheetah finally caught up and bit the antelope’s throat.
“Have you found a place yet? If not, do you need my help?” Yu Shi glanced at her, noticing that Xiang Ling was staring intently at the TV.
“You should at least leave me something to do.” Xiang Ling blinked. She could feel Yu Shi’s gaze on her, so she forced herself to focus on the sudden scene of two lions mating on the screen.
“Oh, right.” Yu Shi smoothed her hair, realizing she had taken on most of the chores, even sweeping and cooking. When living alone, she could only manage instant noodles. But somehow, coming here had unlocked a hidden culinary talent.
But it was just unlocked, not leveled up. Her cooking wasn’t actually good. Xiang Ling never pointed out how often she oversalted the dishes. After each visit, Xiang Ling would gulp down several glasses of water to wash away the salty taste.
“Are you taste-blind?” Xiang Ling couldn’t help but ask, because Yu Shi always ate her own cooking as if it were gourmet food, making Xiang Ling doubt her own senses.
“I might just prefer stronger flavors.” Extra salt, extra spice, and extra pepper. That was her standard takeout order.
“If you’re happy with it…” Xiang Ling muttered. Yu Shi didn’t catch it, so Xiang Ling continued, “You don’t need to come over anymore. I can manage on my own now. My injuries have healed.”
“Yeah, I’ll be busier at the station, too, so I won’t be able to visit often.”
Following up on that, Yu Shi had heard there might be some internal adjustments and changes in the police department recently, though she wasn’t sure if it would affect their team. “You still need to be careful from now on. If anything happens, you have to call me.”
“I know.”
They awkwardly watched an animal documentary together until Yu Shi finally excused herself. This farewell almost became the last time they would ever see each other.
As their lives grew increasingly busy, not contacting each other became an unspoken understanding. Since that day, Yu Shi made it a habit to check for her phone every time she left her seat. It had become a talisman of sorts, never left behind again. Meanwhile, Xiang Ling moved to a new place. She resumed her university studies, completed her degree in less time than others, and entered the workforce.
Four years later, Yu Shi had become a team captain, with Li Yu still as her partner. Over those four years, old team members had been promoted, transferred, or retired. Now, her team was filled with new faces, including a rookie detective fresh out of the academy.
That day, Yu Shi and her team received a report of a discovered body and rushed to the scene. The location was under a bridge, where a morning dog walker had been dragged by their out-of-control golden retriever digging in the soil, only to uncover a hand. The dog owner immediately called the police.
Yu Shi’s team arrived at the scene along with the forensics unit. Earlier-arriving officers were already securing the area, while curious onlookers gathered behind the safety line. Their murmurs fill the air.
Yu Shi and her team descended under the bridge. The body was still buried, with only the hand dug up by the dog exposed. Forensics personnel were photographing the scene before two of them began excavating the body. When unearthed, the body was completely naked. It was a female corpse.
After a preliminary examination, the accompanying forensic examiner, Shu Xia, reported to Yu Shi: “Initial estimate suggests she’s been dead for two days. There are ligature marks on her neck, suspected strangulation. Various abrasions and bruises of different sizes are present on her body, likely from struggling or being beaten before death. As for the rest, we’ll know more after the autopsy.”
“The body is completely naked, with no clothing or any identification. It seems we won’t be able to determine the identity immediately.” Yu Shi stared at the corpse and murmured, “At least the face is still intact.”
Outside the police cordon, a figure was holding a camera, taking photos of the scene. As soon as Yu Shi noticed the person was using a professional camera, she immediately positioned herself to block the body entirely and shot a warning glare to deter any photography. It was unclear whether the person saw her from such a distance, but before long, they left with their camera.
Less than an hour later, the report was published. Yu Shi read the content and saw the accompanying photo. The author had blurred the faces of her and the other officers, leaving only the female victim’s feet visible in the image, as most of the body had been blocked by her.
She was certain the person who wrote the report was the same one who had taken the photo earlier. They must have captured other shots before she intervened, but chose to publish this one, even blurring her face. The author’s name was listed as “Frontline”.
Yu Shi remembered that name. She had occasionally seen it in other reports. Compared to other journalists, this reporter’s strength was speed and detail, sometimes making Yu Shi wonder if they had connections within the police force, granting them early access to information. But then again, the likelihood of that was slim. Case assignments were always random. The criminal investigation division alone was split into several teams. It was unlikely this reporter knew someone in every single one.
Moreover, internal police communications were always handled by designated professionals. Others were strictly prohibited from leaking information to outsiders, especially to journalists and media personnel.
She made a mental note to subtly question her team members later to see if anyone had any dealings with this “Frontline”.
After releasing the victim’s photo, family members came forward to identify her almost immediately. She had been reported missing two days prior.
The victim was named Yi Ziyun, a clothing salesperson who worked at a well-known local shopping mall. On the 23rd, the day she went missing, she had gone to work as usual but never returned home long after her shift ended. Her phone was unreachable. All her colleagues said she had left work on time. After an exhaustive search yielded no results, her family reported her missing the following day.
“The preliminary forensic examination indicates Yi Ziyun died two days ago, so she was likely killed on the night she went missing,” Li Yu wrote a few notes on the whiteboard.
The internal phone rang. Yu Shi answered. It was a call from the forensic department. After listening to a series of autopsy findings, she hung up. She picked up a marker and began writing on the whiteboard while explaining, “Time of death was approximately between 11 PM on the 23rd and 2 AM the following day. No traces of drugs were found in the nasal cavity, meaning the victim was conscious when she was taken. She was sexually assaulted before her death. The bruises and abrasions on her body are suspected to be from the perpetrator assaulting her during her struggle. There are signs of binding on both wrists, likely from a belt. The perpetrator strangled the victim with their hands, leading to death by asphyxiation.”
“A sexual homicide…” murmured Jun Zi, the team’s newest member, as she stared at the photos and information on the whiteboard, twirling a pen in her hand. This was the first sexual homicide case she had encountered since joining the team.
“What about the DNA?” Li Yu asked, cradling the back of his head as he looked at the victim’s photo. Such a young woman with her whole life ahead of her, brutally violated. If they caught the perpetrator, he’d make sure to grind that bastard into the dirt.
Yu Shi shook her head. This was also her primary question. But the forensic examiner had given a negative answer. “No, although traces of condom components were detected, they are too common to serve as useful clues. Moreover, the perpetrator clearly acted with premeditation, not on impulse. The forensic examiner found fibers in the victim’s fingernails and between her teeth, likely left behind when the victim scratched and bit the perpetrator, who was wearing cotton gauze gloves.”
“I have a question: was the victim killed afterward or during the act?” Jun Zi’s partner, Xiao Lang, unexpectedly raised a surprising question at this moment.
Yu Shi clapped her hands, looking at Xiao Lang with satisfaction. “Only you would think of such a question.”
“What? I feel like you’re implying something about me,” Xiao Lang rolled his eyes. Anyone who didn’t know better might think he was some kind of pervert.
“If that’s what you think, I can’t help it. Xiao Lang asked a very good question, but unfortunately, we currently don’t know. When the perpetrator strangled the victim, they didn’t do it all at once. Instead, they repeatedly released their grip when the victim was on the brink of death, repeating the cycle.” From this, it could be inferred that the perpetrator was a pervert with a particular fetish.
Another subordinate, Da Gezi, wrinkled his face in disgust, his features contorting into a somewhat ferocious expression. He rubbed his buzz-cut head and cursed, “Damn pervert!”
“There was a period when this kind of ‘play’ became popular among students. When a person is about to suffocate, a rush of air into the lungs can give them an intense high comparable to drug use. One student got into trouble because of this. The parents made a huge fuss over it for a long time.”
Da Gezi’s partner, Mie Mie, briefly explained the news she had seen before. No one knew who started it, but it suddenly became popular among students.
“Jun Zi, what about the surveillance footage you went to check?” Yu Shi sat in her chair. She picked up her water cup and drained the less-than-half-full contents.
“The burial site is in a blind spot for surveillance, so nothing was captured. But Xiao Lang and I will review the surrounding footage. The mall just contacted us, saying we can go over anytime.”
Jun Zi typed on the keyboard. She and Xiao Lang were already prepared to watch surveillance footage until they felt sick.
“Then Da Gezi and Mie Mie will come with us to the mall. We’ll also look for those colleagues and ask around.”
After saying this, Yu Shi grabbed her jacket. She checked if her phone was with her before heading to the mall with the other three.
Although it was a weekday, the mall was still crowded. With summer vacation in full swing, many students were out of class. Quite a few had gathered in small groups to eat, sing, or watch movies. Da Gezi and Mie Mie went ahead to the clothing store where Yi Ziyun worked to search for clues, while Yu Shi and Li Yu lingered outside the store.
“Aren’t we going to check the surveillance footage?” Li Yu followed Yu Shi, thinking she would head straight to the surveillance room as soon as they got out of the car.
“I want to observe the environment first.” Yu Shi walked around outside several times before sitting down on a bench that was somewhat secluded but still offered a view of the clothing store. “This is a good spot.”
Li Yu didn’t understand why they were sitting there. But after taking a seat, he began to grasp the reason. The bench was located in a relatively quiet part of the mall, with few people passing by, yet it provided a clear view of the clothing store. “Did the perpetrator observe Yi Ziyun from here?”
“There is that possibility. I think since the perpetrator acted with premeditation, they wouldn’t have chosen someone at random. They must have targeted someone specifically first.”
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