Chapter 021: The Naceng Case (Fourteen)

“Do you remember what you said at the scene when you reprimanded the colleagues from the Municipal Bureau? You accused them of failing to protect the site properly. But have you ever considered that there were dozens of highly decomposed bodies piled up like mountains, with those at the bottom being the oldest and most decayed? The forensic work becomes increasingly arduous and nauseating the deeper you go.” Her gentle voice was low and powerful, each word weighted heavily, causing a shiver to run through Li Rui’s chest.

She paused, her gaze piercing like a blade as she continued, “To quote one of the forensic experts involved, when retrieving the bodies, ‘the moment your hand touches it, it’s a sticky, slimy greenish mass—that’s the result of decomposition.’ Not to mention the overwhelming assault on the senses, both visual and olfactory, which you can surely imagine without description. Why did they endure this? Was it not because of their duty and the justice they held deep in their hearts?”

Li Rui took a deep breath, his throat feeling blocked by something, and after a long moment, he spoke softly, “I never meant to blame them, it’s just that—”

“Just what?” Wen Rou interrupted mercilessly, her tone laced with sarcasm. “In terms of professionalism, they may indeed not match up to you, Forensic Doctor Li, but they are truly fighting on the front lines, tireless and selfless, enduring hardship without complaint. In that regard, they have done far better than you.”

A flush of embarrassment surged across Li Rui’s face as if he had just been struck hard. He lowered his head, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the corner of the desk, a complex mix of emotions swirling inside him. The recipe was familiar, the flavor unchanged. He knew once Wen Rou entered “teaching mode,” she would not let him off easily.

“Director Wen, that’s enough. I admit my mistake, isn’t that enough?” Li Rui lifted his head, his tone pleading.

“No!” Wen Rou shot him a sharp glance, her eyes as fierce as knives. “You’re just used to being disorganized and undisciplined. Today, I’m going to give you a good shake-up!”

Li Rui sighed helplessly, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. The office lighting was harsh, making his eyes ache. He rubbed his temples, trying to ease the pressure within.

“Let’s talk about forensic work alone,” Wen Rou’s voice softened a bit but still carried undeniable authority. “Before the task force was established, the only female forensic expert at the Municipal Bureau was Gao Xinyu from the DNA testing lab. She had just started her career when this big case erupted. She worked at the scene for over twenty consecutive days—autopsying corpses by day and writing reports at night. Because she left in a hurry, she didn’t bring a thick coat and couldn’t bear the cold at the crime scene, so she simply draped the deceased’s clothes over herself and continued working.”

Li Rui’s mind involuntarily conjured the image of a young female forensic expert in the cold morgue, wearing the victim’s clothes, focused on dissecting the decomposing bodies. Her fingers might have turned purple from the cold, yet her eyes remained resolute. A wave of guilt rose within him at the thought.

“There’s also Lao Yu from the Nacheng branch,” Wen Rou continued, her voice heavy with emotion. “His hometown was struck by this terrible case. Feeling guilty, he volunteered for all the dirty and tiring tasks. He risked poisoning from the stench repeatedly hauling bodies out of cellars. Once, cramped in a cellar, he got stuck, surrounded by the smell of death and rotting flesh. Every time he moved a body, white smoke would rise.”

Li Rui’s stomach churned, as if the foul stench had seeped through her words and invaded his nostrils. He clenched his fists tightly, nails digging into his palms, wishing he could disappear into a crack in the ground.

“Lao Yu originally wore a gas mask, but later found the activated charcoal useless and stopped wearing it altogether. Breathing in the stench while working, he suddenly lost control of his bowels and bladder, struggled to breathe, and fainted in the pit.” Wen Rou’s voice was low and slow, each word laden with gravity. “It was thanks to the fearless dedication of people like them that dozens of bodies, whether intact or not, were brought to light, providing the foundation and conditions for your subsequent autopsies.”

“Enough, Director Wen, please stop!” Li Rui’s voice was hoarse, tinged with pleading.

“I’m not finished!” Wen Rou fixed her gaze on Li Rui, eyes burning like a torch. “The number of victims in the Nacheng case, the brutality of the perpetrator, and the horrific state of the crime scene have shattered ordinary people’s understanding and conscience. Those innocent victims who died tragically—if they could turn into vengeful spirits—would never forget the names Jia Wenming, Yu Meili, Liu Meixin, Hao Jianping, Wang Dali, and Li Fuping. They would be nailed to the pillar of shame!”

Li Rui’s throat felt choked again. After a long silence, he quietly said, “I understand. Isn’t it enough if I go to interrogate him?”

Wen Rou rolled her eyes with a hint of disdain in her voice. “No need for your grand entrance!”

“Please, don’t say that,” Li Rui quickly waved his hands, forcing a bitter smile. “If I don’t put in some effort, Director Wen, you’d probably scold me to death. Then my moral standards and conscience would truly be in trouble.”

“You still dare to be cheeky!” Though Wen Rou kept a stern face, the sharpness in her eyes had faded. “I don’t think you’re taking my words to heart at all.”

“That’s not true. Your teachings are engraved in my mind and heart. I reflect on myself thrice daily, striving to be a new kind of person—idealistic, moral, cultured, and disciplined!” Li Rui joked, trying to lighten the mood.

“Keep joking and I’ll tear your mouth apart!” Wen Rou fumed, reaching out to pinch his cheek.

“Hey, watch your image!” Li Rui stepped back hastily, coughing twice to remind her that they were still at the police station entrance.

Realizing her outburst, Wen Rou composed herself and spoke seriously, “Director Han called just now. Because of Liu Meixin’s special status, even though she has confessed, without Jia Wenming’s own admission, the Liu family won’t accept it. Therefore, Director Han insists we must get Jia Wenming to confess in person!”

Li Rui nodded, understanding in his tone. “Understood, understood.”

“What are you understanding?” Wen Rou glared at him.

“I’m understanding your difficulties, Director Wen,” Li Rui smiled.

“No one asked you to understand my difficulties. I want you to come up with solutions!” Wen Rou stamped her foot angrily.

“If even you can’t solve it, how can I?” Li Rui shrugged helplessly.

Wen Rou couldn’t hold back any longer and kicked out. “Are you going to say something or not? If not, I won’t let you off!”

“What kind of person are you? There’s not a shred of leadership in you. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were just a shrew,” Li Rui muttered softly.

“What did you say?” Wen Rou’s voice suddenly rose sharply.

“Uh, nothing, nothing. I’ll think of something, okay?” Li Rui hurriedly raised his hands in surrender.

Back in the office, Lei Chen and Qi Wei were organizing interrogation records, preparing to break Jia Wenming. Seeing Li Rui return, both brightened excitedly.

“Forensic Doctor Li, you’re finally here,” Lei Chen said with a hopeful smile.

“Yes, without you, we wouldn’t know what to do,” Qi Wei added cheerfully.

“Cough, cough,” Wen Rou coughed warningly, “Don’t flatter him as if he has all the answers.”

Qi Wei leaned toward Wen Rou and whispered, “Director Wen, you’re the one with the solutions. How did you manage to keep him in line?”

Wen Rou smiled smugly, lowering her voice. “A mountain man has his own clever plans.”

Li Rui glanced at the two, coughing awkwardly. “Hey, no whispering. Aren’t comrades supposed to be honest with each other?”

“Who’s whispering? Enough nonsense, just tell us your plan,” Wen Rou urged impatiently.

Li Rui sighed helplessly. “There are actually many ways to get Jia Wenming to talk.”

“What ways?” Lei Chen asked curiously, eyes gleaming with anticipation.

“Jia Wenming is the mastermind, the pillar of this group. His mouth won’t be the first to break. But his extortion business is split between two teams—one led by Yu Meili, the other by Liu Meixin. Liu Meixin has two accomplices, Hao Jianping and Wang Dali. But Yu Meili, who has been with Jia Wenming the longest, has only one accomplice, Li Fuping. I think we can break through via Yu Meili.”

Lei Chen pulled out Yu Meili’s files and flipped through them carefully. “Yu Meili is indeed strange. Liu Meixin was a victim who barely escaped death and was forced to become an accomplice. But Yu Meili followed Jia Wenming wholeheartedly from the start. She knew every step of his crimes.”

“How could a woman who never really went wrong in life willingly do such inhumane things?” Feng Feng, standing nearby, frowned deeply, clearly puzzled by her psychology.

“Has she confessed?” Li Rui asked, his eyes fixed on the documents in Lei Chen’s hand.

“She has admitted to some things, but never voluntarily. Only when other accomplices confessed evidence was she forced to admit. She likely still holds on to some illusions,” Lei Chen replied helplessly.

Feng Feng added, “At the time, based on Liu Meixin’s statement, we planned to arrest the other suspects together, but only Jia Wenming was found at home. Yu Meili and another accomplice had already gone to work.”

“But the net is wide and nothing escapes it. Police at the station found them during a routine check. They seemed very nervous and evasive, so the officers intensified their questioning. They found over 3,000 yuan, two IDs, and dangerous drugs like anesthetics on them.”

“Using the IDs, we contacted the victims and confirmed they were running extortion schemes. Yu Meili seduced a stranger, brought him to a rented room, where her accomplices then controlled the victim and robbed him,” Lei Chen continued, voice tinged with indignation. “But she was hopeful we hadn’t uncovered all her crimes, so she kept silent about the Nacheng case. We simultaneously interrogated her accomplice, and after some psychological pressure, Li Fuping was taken down. He revealed one case after another they had committed in Nacheng—murders, burial sites, and more. These details mostly matched Liu Meixin’s confessions. Facing the irrefutable evidence, she finally opened up.”

“Good. Let’s start with her!” Li Rui said decisively, a flicker of determination in his eyes.

The office lights remained bright, but the night outside grew darker.

Standing by the window, Li Rui gazed at the distant flickering neon lights, quietly resolving that no matter how difficult it might be, he would bring the truth to light and let the innocent spirits rest in peace.