Chapter 12: Crime Scene Investigation Report

"Master, what do we do now?" Chen Yan asked.

Wu Yongcheng stretched and said, "Sleep."

"Sleep?" Both Zhou Yi and Chen Yan were taken aback.

"Look at the rain outside; it’s pouring. It’s not going to stop anytime soon. We might as well get some shut-eye, recharge our batteries, and then investigate properly."

Chen Yan leaned against the window to look; the rain was indeed coming down in sheets. Fortunately, the crime scene and the body had already been examined; otherwise, after such a downpour, every clue and trace would have been washed away.

"Alright, Xiao Chen, take Zhou Yi to the lounge and get some rest."

"Master, you should go get some sleep instead. I’ll keep watch in case the hospital calls with any leads."

"I'm fine. I’ve had too much nicotine; I’m wide awake now." Wu Yongcheng waved him off. "Go on, go on."

Seeing this, Chen Yan gestured for Zhou Yi to follow him.

Just as they stepped out of the office, Wu Yongcheng asked, "Zhou Yi, how were your grades at the police academy?"

Zhou Yi scratched his hair. "So-so, I suppose."

"And did anyone ever teach you how to investigate a case? I don't mean what's in the textbooks."

Zhou Yi knew exactly what he was asking. "Yes."

"Who?"

"Fate. He told me that I was a criminal investigator in my past life, and I’m destined to be one in this one, too."

...

Zhou Yi woke up after about an hour and a half. Being young was a blessing; a little sleep was all it took to feel refreshed. It had been a long, long time since he’d felt this way.

"Time is a cruel master," Zhou Yi sighed to himself.

"Awake?" Wu Yongcheng’s voice suddenly sounded from behind, startling him.

"Captain Wu?" Zhou Yi sat up on the narrow wooden cot in one fluid motion.

Wu Yongcheng walked to the lounge window and pulled back the curtains, which were yellowed by cigarette smoke. A cold, pale light flooded in, and Zhou Yi instinctively raised a hand to shield his eyes. He noticed that Wu Yongcheng’s eyes were bloodshot from the long night.

He remembered when he used to be that driven, only to be defeated in the end by someone else’s connections. But that was fine; he had always remained true to the badge he wore.

"Captain Wu, have the results from Forensic Pathologist Xu come back?"

"Yes." Wu Yongcheng reached into his pocket but found nothing.

Out of cigarettes! Damn it.

"Everything alright?" Zhou Yi asked.

"If there were a problem, do you think you’d still be lying there snoring?"

"That’s good." Zhou Yi stood up. "Then I’ll go start the investigation?"

"Wait."

"Any orders, Captain?"

"Eat breakfast first. Xiao Chen went to pick some up."

"Oh." Zhou Yi sat back down.

Wu Yongcheng slapped a stack of documents down in front of him. "Read while you eat. Once you're done, tell me how you plan to investigate."

Zhou Yi nodded. Two minutes later, Chen Yan walked in carrying a bag of steamed buns and a thermos of steaming hot soy milk. Chen Yan’s eyes were also bloodshot, but being younger, he was in much better spirits than Wu Yongcheng.

Zhou Yi read through the documents while he ate. Most of it was familiar, but there were additions—the crime scene investigation report. Beyond the standard findings, two points were particularly valuable.

The first was the bloodstains. The distribution indicated the victim’s struggle and flight path, but the volume of blood confirmed a suspicion Zhou Yi had earlier: the carotid artery was severed with the first strike, and the subsequent wounds were inflicted after she had fallen. The initial blood loss was massive and arterial in nature. If the killer had struck non-lethal blows first, causing the victim to flee before catching up to land the fatal cut to the neck, the initial blood volume would not have been so high, nor would the spray pattern have appeared this way. When Zhou Yi had mentioned the carotid artery as the first strike, Wu Yongcheng had immediately grasped the logic, though the forensics report hadn't been ready at the time. Zhou Yi’s observation had shattered his preconceived notions, which was one reason he had developed a fondness for the young man’s talent. Forensic reports described facts objectively, but drawing conclusions from those facts was the duty of the investigator. It required immense observational skill and seasoned experience, and Wu Yongcheng had to admit he hadn't spotted it himself. Of course, given his personality, he would never praise Zhou Yi directly.

The second point was the footprints. Twelve sets of prints were found within twenty meters, but based on depth and overlap, only three were from the time of the crime. One was a size 36, belonging to the victim; one was a size 45, belonging to Zhou Yi; and the third was a size 42. This size was ambiguous—it could belong to a man or a woman. If a woman, she would have to be around 1.7 meters tall, which would make her physical description quite distinct. However, based on the tread pattern, it was more likely a man’s sneaker. That was why Wu Yongcheng hadn't fully agreed when Zhou Yi suggested the killer might be a woman.

"Captain Wu, I’ve finished reading," Zhou Yi said, stuffing the last of his bun into his mouth.

"Any thoughts on how to break the case?"

"I think we can narrow the scope of the investigation. The killer is likely a colleague of the victim from the hospital."

"Why?"

"Du Xiaolin’s home is about three kilometers from the Third Municipal Hospital. For a normal young woman, that walk should take about forty minutes." Zhou Yi tapped the documents. "That’s highly abnormal."

"Three kilometers doesn't look far on paper, but is a forty-minute walk home after a shift reasonable? Especially in the middle of the night?"

"Why didn't Du Xiaolin ride a bicycle?"

Chen Yan chimed in, "Maybe she didn't know how to ride one?"

"Fine, let’s assume she didn't. The day shift ends at 4:00 PM, and the night shift ends at 8:00 AM; both times allow for public transport. But for the evening shift, there are no more buses. Why didn't her family pick her up?"

"The crime scene report mentions no bicycle tracks, nor was a discarded bike found."

"Given that Du Xiaolin wasn't quite dead when I arrived, I can confirm she was walking home last night."

Wu Yongcheng, who had been listening intently, asked, "And how does this link to the killer being a hospital colleague?"

"Who knew Du Xiaolin’s shift schedule? Who might know her regular route home? And who would be in the best position to tamper with things so that she had to walk home last night?" Zhou Yi said in a low voice, "I can't think of any other possibility besides her colleagues."

Wu Yongcheng nodded. "Hospital staff and colleagues are already a primary focus, but we can't ignore other leads. How about this: since your grandfather is hospitalized, use your status as a family member to poke around and see if you can pick up any valuable clues."

"But remember, you cannot investigate in the name of the police. You know the protocol."

Zhou Yi nodded. The protocol Wu Yongcheng referred to was the standard requirement for officers to work in pairs. While not explicitly mandated by the Criminal Law, it was an unwritten rule within the public security system for the sake of impartiality, safety, and legality, serving as a mutual check to prevent corruption.

"Captain Wu is as thorough as ever. I’ll just chat with the staff as a concerned family member—just a casual conversation," Zhou Yi said with a sly smile.

Wu Yongcheng nodded in satisfaction; the kid was sharp.

"And remember, don't alert the suspect," Wu Yongcheng warned.

"I’ll be careful, Captain, don't worry. The killer definitely wasn't on the night shift last night; they have solid alibis." Zhou Yi turned to Chen Yan. "Oh, and I’ll need a favor from you, Brother Yan. Could you check with the hospital security department and pull the personnel files for the emergency department? That’s something I can't do myself."

Chen Yan nodded.

"And one more thing..."

"What?" Chen Yan asked, curious about his mysterious tone.

Zhou Yi laughed, "Buy the Captain a pack of cigarettes."