After returning to the Military Police Bureau, Yan Qing and E’Yuan performed the autopsy together — but the results were deeply disappointing.

“Only a small amount of drowning fluid was found in the victim’s stomach,” Yan Qing said. “There’s no congestion in the organs. She did not drown.”

E’Yuan added from beside her, “No open surface wounds. No hemorrhage or fractures to the skull.”

“You’re saying the cause of death is undetermined?” Shi Ting, who had been watching from the side, furrowed his brow.

“I’ve already extracted blood samples and partial organ tissue for toxicological analysis,” Yan Qing said. “But that will take time.”

“How long?”

“Three days.”

Shi Ting nodded. “All right. We’ll wait for your results.”

“Although we haven’t identified the specific cause of death, we did find something in the victim’s esophagus and stomach.” Yan Qing brought over a tray. The objects resting on it were stained with blood and unrecognizable at first glance.

“That is—” Shi Ting’s eyes brightened. “Cotton!”

Why would there be cotton in the victim’s esophagus and stomach?

“Could she have choked to death from swallowing too much cotton?”

“The victim didn’t die from asphyxiation. Although there’s a substantial amount of cotton, swallowing it in pieces wouldn’t have blocked the airway.” Yan Qing peeled back the victim’s scalp. “Additionally, there is patchy hemorrhaging beneath the galea aponeurotica, along with bleeding points in the nasal cavity and oral cavity.”

“Master, what does that indicate?” E’Yuan asked in surprise. During the autopsy, he hadn’t noticed any of this.

“The galea aponeurotica is the first protective layer over the skull — it’s quite tough. Subgaleal hemorrhage is usually caused by a significant external force, such as in a traffic accident. However, this victim has no damage to the skull or brain, which rules out a blunt impact to the head.” Yan Qing withdrew her hemostatic forceps. “But there is one other thing that can cause subgaleal hemorrhage.”

She made a gripping motion. “Having the hair violently yanked can also produce hemorrhaging beneath the galea.”

Shi Ting considered this briefly. “Before she died, the killer grabbed her by the hair and repeatedly forced her head underwater — more than once — which caused both the subgaleal hemorrhage and the injuries to the mouth and nasal cavity.”

Yan Qing smiled. “Exactly what I was going to say.”

A thread of clarity seemed to catch in Shi Ting’s mind, a hint of brightness crossing his features. “The killer repeatedly held the victim’s head underwater and even forced her to swallow cotton. The intensity of that cruelty suggests deep hatred. This is a revenge killing.”

“If it is indeed a revenge killing, I’d suggest starting your investigation from that angle.” She indicated a specific area of the victim’s body. “There is an old rupture.”

Shi Ting frowned. “The victim had a male companion?”

“That would be one way to put it, though it isn’t necessarily a romantic partner. Intense physical activity can also cause it. In my experience, however, the former is the more likely explanation.”

“Understood.” This finding was significant — it had already narrowed the scope of the investigation.

Yan Qing nodded. “Since you have a direction to pursue, I’ll stay here with Forensic Examiner E’Yuan and continue looking for the cause of death.”

“Good.” Shi Ting glanced at her rather pale complexion. “And get some rest.”

With that, he put on his officer’s cap and walked out briskly.

After Shi Ting left, Yan Qing heard a barely suppressed laugh from behind her. She turned, puzzled. “What’s funny?”

E’Yuan quickly shook his head. “Nothing. I just thought our director looked unexpectedly endearing when he was being considerate.”

Considerate?

Yan Qing didn’t think of it that way. It seemed more like a polite parting remark.

She picked up her forceps. “Let’s continue. See if there’s anything we’ve missed.”

“Now that the investigative direction is clear, I think we’re close to solving this.” E’Yuan was brimming with confidence. “My theory is a crime of passion — the man who was intimate with the victim is the most likely suspect.”

“Whether or not the killer is caught in the end, identifying the victim’s cause of death is always a forensic examiner’s responsibility.”

E’Yuan grinned. “Master — you really weren’t a forensic examiner before all this?”

—