Free Web NovelChapter 818: Chapter 434: Hardcore Analysis in the Dry Well
He desperately wanted to hear a definite answer from the detective, even if it was just a "possible."
However, Jiang An simply shook his head lightly, his lips curling into a slightly cold arc.
"Not suicide, nor an accident."
"This is the third option—homicide."
"And there’s a high probability that it’s a murder and body dumping case. From the initial indicators on the body, we can’t rule out the possibility of physical assault before death."
With a "boom," Liu Liang felt like his head had been struck by a heavy hammer, buzzing loudly. freёwebnovel.com
He even momentarily lost focus, and the warm weekend plans of visiting the kids at grandma’s with his wife shattered instantly.
It’s over, completely done!
Not only was it a murder case, but one of such a heinous nature, a cruel murder and body dumping!
This means endless investigations, interviews, meetings, pressure...
Thinking of this, Liu Liang felt his head swell, a bitter taste rising in his mouth.
Liu Liang’s eyes shifted, and he leaned in, lowering his voice to ask a heart-pounding question: "Mr. Jiang, is this... really a case?"
Jiang An’s eyebrows didn’t even twitch, and he replied firmly: "I’m certain, and positive."
"Alright, that’s all I needed to hear."
Liu Liang seemed to have been given a royal sword, standing a bit taller, his voice rising.
"Then from now on, we’ll handle it entirely according to the standards of a murder case!"
The words "murder case" were like a giant stone thrown into a calm pond.
The firefighters who had been standing by, listening intently, suddenly had bright eyes.
They exchanged a glance, paid no heed to the debris on the ground, and rushed to the edge of the police line, faces full of uncontrolled curiosity.
"Mr. Jiang, Mr. Jiang!"
One younger firefighter called out loudly, "Is it really a murder case? Do you have any leads? Could we..."
"Get a chance to see how you detectives unravel a case?"
Another quickly chimed in: "Yeah, yeah, we promise not to interfere, just want to observe and learn!"
Jiang An chuckled helplessly and gestured with his hand to indicate "please step back": "Brothers, you’ve worked hard, thanks to your quick response this time."
"But from here on, it’s time for us detectives to put in the work, it’ll take a while, plus this place isn’t too stable, staying long isn’t safe."
"You’ve still got your own duties, best to head back and rest, or standby back at the station, leave this to us."
The four firefighters looked at each other, though reluctant, they knew the rules.
They slowly gathered their gear, glancing back with every step as they left.
The slightly older one at the back deliberately went over to Jiang An’s side, "Mr. Jiang, I’ve heard of you for a long time, finally met in person today."
"Truly... living up to the name. Hope you can solve the case soon and let the deceased rest in peace."
Jiang An patted his firm shoulder, gratitude in his smile: "Thank you, brother."
"Thanks for your hard work today, be safe on your way back."
Watching those vivid orange figures disappear at the alley entrance, the atmosphere on scene seemed to grow more somber.
Jiang An immediately stopped smiling and said in a deep voice, "Contact the mortuary, prepare for recovery."
Only by retrieving that body buried deep in the ruins, intact and properly, could the subsequent examinations, autopsies, and analyses have a meaningful foundation.
Liu Liang, standing nearby, looked at that bottomless crevice, feeling as if a hive of bees had entered his head, buzzing loudly.
He shook his head, leaning closer to Jiang An, his voice unconsciously tense: "Mr. Jiang, once we lift the body, what’s our first step?"
Jiang An’s gaze remained fixed on the ruins, speaking calmly and clearly: "Standard procedure, a comprehensive autopsy, primary task is to determine the cause of death."
"Whether it’s homicide, suicide, or accident, there must be a definite explanation."
He paused, then shifted to a broader investigative direction, "Meanwhile, you can’t stop on your end."
"Focus on checking everyone in the surrounding area, including former residents."
"Where were these people relocated from after demolition? Where did they move to afterward?"
"Their social relations, family conflicts, I need a detailed list and background info as much as possible."
Liu Liang listened while quickly noting in his pocket notebook.
"Understood! I’ll arrange the team immediately, we’ll work overnight if necessary to sort out a preliminary list for you!"
At this moment, the mortuary’s transport vehicle silently entered the scene.
The staff efficiently lifted out the body wrapped in a special bag, and as the zipper was closed, Liu Liang turned his face away unconsciously.
"Scared?" Jiang An raised an eyebrow.
"It’s concern."
Liu Liang chuckled bitterly, "If this case gets out, forget year-end evaluations, I might not even be able to keep this uniform."
At 1:30 AM, the metal automatic doors of the forensic center slowly opened, the scent of disinfectant wafting in.
Jiang An, Wan, Jiang Feng, and two forensic doctors walked down the long corridor, footsteps echoing in the empty hallway.
The shadowless lamp in the autopsy room suddenly lit up, illuminating the stainless steel table like a stage.
Jiang An said, "Go ahead, I’ll guide you through the standard procedures."
"Remember our core tasks this time—"
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the highly decayed body on the autopsy table, his tone heavy.
"First, do everything possible to determine the cause of death;"
"Second, carefully search for any trace evidence remaining on the body, both surface and internal. Especially with such a decomposed body, most external clues have disappeared, making pathological examination of tissues critical."
"When cutting, be highly attentive to abnormal changes in tissues, no possible wound or subtle abrasion should be overlooked."
"Particularly those features which might point to specific professions, lifestyles, or unique injuries, these often provide the most valuable breakthroughs to identify the deceased and reconstruct the case. Understand?"
"Understood! Rest assured, captain, we’ll give it our all, and not let you down!"
The two forensic doctors spoke in unison, their eyes filled with determination.
They took a deep breath, donned double gloves, and steadily picked up the scalpel, the blade reflecting a cold light under the lamp.
Wan adjusted camera settings, capturing preliminary shots of the body from different angles, the shutter clicking in a rhythmic manner.
He began by meticulously handling and recording images of the remaining clothing fragments on the body.
Meanwhile, Jiang An and Jiang Feng had flipped open their notebooks, pen in hand, ready to jot down any valuable findings at any moment.
It was then that the phones in Jiang An’s and several team members’ pockets almost simultaneously buzzed with vibration.
The work group chat had exploded because of a site photo Wan just quickly sent over.
"Wow! This background... isn’t that the city mortuary’s autopsy room? What are you doing there?"
"What’s going on? Another site at this hour?"
"Looks like a big case?"
During a break between shots, Wan glanced at his phone and swiftly typed a response with one hand: "Guys, the captain has preliminarily determined that this isn’t an ordinary death, it’s a murder case!"
"Better get some sleep tonight, recharge, tomorrow’s gonna be a long haul, another tough battle!"
This message was like a stone tossed into a serene lake, creating ripples.
The group chat was instantly flooded with a string of orderly "Received!" comments.
Though no one said much more, the suddenly tense, pre-battle atmosphere seemed to seep through the screen.
Jiang An also pulled out his phone, silently viewing the flood of messages, his fingers tapping quickly on the screen, adding: "This case may have a complex background, and we might be gearing up for a tough battle, everyone, be prepared mentally and physically."
"Tomorrow morning at seven, everyone will meet in the conference room for specific investigation and interview assignments."
The message was sent with almost no delay as the screen was once again flooded with a series of brief yet powerful "Received!"
