The Forensic Trace Examiner: Silent Clues

Chapter 2 Old Sherlock Holmes

The corpse remained silent, yet this did not impede Jiang Yuan from discerning the truth. Uncle Seventeen, a distant cousin of his father, was not frequently encountered in the ordinary course of life. However, during festive seasons, their paths inevitably crossed. His remarkable build made it impossible for Jiang Yuan to mistake him. In an instant, a tempest of emotions surged within Jiang Yuan. His mind involuntarily drifted back to the words his father had spoken when urging him to return to their hometown and take the civil service examination: “Back home, relatives and acquaintances are everywhere. Everything is convenient. Returning to our hometown is far more comfortable than staying in a big city.” Indeed, his father had been right. Even in his line of work as a forensic doctor, he could still come across the body of a familiar face.

Before long, the seasoned forensic doctor, Wu Jun, arrived at the scene. Draped in a white coat, his slightly protruding belly gave him the air of a long - serving office cadre. Squinting, he surveyed the area, then lifted his gaze to Jiang Yuan and remarked with a smile, “Xiao Jiang, you’re here early. Go fetch the forensic examination box, will you?” “I’ve already brought it,” Jiang Yuan replied with great alacrity. He had lugged a large, black box from the forensic vehicle. The box, substantial and weighty, exuded an air of solid craftsmanship. When opened, the upper lid revealed an orderly arrangement of tools: pliers, forceps, bone saws, bone chisels, bone hammers, and bone shears. In contrast, the lower lid was haphazardly divided into three sections, filled with a jumble of cotton, gauze, syringes, measuring tapes, stainless - steel lunch boxes, and towels. “Grab a few more masks and distribute them to everyone. One for each person,” Wu Jun instructed, donning a mask himself. After watching Jiang Yuan distribute masks to all the police officers present, he queried in a testing tone, “Do you know why the first task is to distribute masks?” Jiang Yuan responded, “They serve a protective function and prevent contamination of the scene.” “That’s what the textbooks say,” Wu Jun said, slipping a third glove over his already - gloved right hand. “Another reason is to conceal our expressions. ” Jiang Yuan was momentarily taken aback. Wu Jun elaborated, “We police officers and forensic doctors have seen our fair share of corpses. Some of you young folks, in the heat of conversation, may lose control of your expressions. If someone were to laugh inadvertently and it was captured by the media or the public, it would spell trouble. Hence, masks are the item I stock the most in my forensic box. Everyone at the scene must put on a mask before speaking.” A sudden realization dawned on Jiang Yuan.

At that moment, Wu Jun stooped to commence the on - site investigation. Jiang Yuan emulated him, adding two more pairs of gloves, and then confessed, “Master, I recognize this corpse.” “Oh? How so?” Wu Jun, intently examining the position of the body, turned his gaze towards Jiang Yuan. “It appears to be my Uncle Seventeen,” Jiang Yuan said, taking a deep breath. Wu Jun was silent for a moment before asking, “Are you certain?” “Double chin, large belly, prominent nose, and a conspicuous mole nearby... It has to be Uncle Seventeen,” Jiang Yuan described, his tone somewhat reserved. “My condolences. Tell me about your Uncle Seventeen,” Wu Jun requested, lowering his head once more. “Thermometer,” he added. Jiang Yuan averted his eyes, retrieved a thermometer from the forensic box, and handed it to Wu Jun. He then began, “My Uncle Seventeen should be fifty this year. He’s the youngest son of my Second Grandpa, born in the Year of the Pig. His family moved to the County No.1 Middle School staff quarters long ago. He runs a small restaurant nearby, owns a car, is a smoker, and is embroiled in some debt disputes...” As Wu Jun listened, he carried out his examination, instructing Jiang Yuan to take notes. Subsequently, he requested a puncture needle and syringe to draw urine and blood samples for later analysis.

Shortly thereafter, the captain of the criminal police brigade arrived on the scene. In quick succession, the deputy director in charge of criminal investigation and the director of the county public security bureau hastened over. “What’s the preliminary conclusion from the forensic team?” the director inquired personally, trailed by the deputy director, Captain Huang Qiangmin of the criminal police brigade, and several squadron leaders, including Captain Liu. Homicide cases hold a preeminent position among criminal investigations, especially newly - occurred ones. In terms of administrative resource allocation, they demand hundreds of times more attention than ordinary cases. In recent years, while the incidence of homicides has been on a significant decline, the police’s level of concern has skyrocketed.

Wu Jun rose slowly, puffing out his chest, and announced, “Preliminary assessment indicates that the cause of death is craniocerebral injury resulting from a sharp object piercing the back of the neck. No other wounds have been detected thus far. A more detailed examination will be conducted through autopsy at the forensic facility.” The director gave a solemn “en” and began his own inspection of the scene. Wu Jun continued, “The body shows clear signs of having been moved, and there is minimal blood spatter on the ground. Thus, it is likely that the deceased was dumped here...” “Most probably a case of passion - driven murder followed by body disposal,” Captain Huang Qiangmin opined after Wu Jun had finished speaking. The director nodded slowly. Glancing at the officers on either side, who were busily photographing and collecting blood and trace evidence, he asked, “What do we know about the victim so far?” “The deceased is fifty years old, born in the Year of the Pig,” Wu Jun reported, his voice steady. The director and the others couldn’t help but refocus their attention on the forensic doctor. Wu Jun surveyed the group calmly and revealed, “The deceased resides in the County No.1 Middle School staff quarters, operates a small eatery, owns a vehicle, is a smoker, and has outstanding debt issues.” Captain Liu, who had been stooped over examining the wound, straightened up involuntarily, looking at Wu Jun in astonishment. “Lao Wu, you’re incredible. How did you piece all this together? You’re like a modern - day Sherlock Holmes. I can guess that the restaurant and smoking habits were deduced from the oil and tobacco stains on his fingers, but how did you discern the debt disputes?” Wu Jun merely smiled enigmatically, relishing the moment.