Tonight, the moon hung unusually bright in the sky, veiled by a layer of blood-red mist that cast an eerie pall over its serene glow. The air itself seemed tainted with the scent of blood, and the stillness of the night at two a.m. was oppressive. Outside the window, only the rustling of leaves disturbed the silence. No one paid heed to the strange and ominous night sky.
Inside a brightly lit room, surgical instruments lay neatly arranged. Yet this was no ordinary operating room. A woman, her face half-hidden by a surgical mask, stared intently at the corpse laid upon the white examination table, her sharp eyes gleaming with cold precision. Putting away her measuring tape, she spoke in a detached tone:"The deceased is female, approximately 168 centimeters in height, estimated age between twenty and thirty. The body has already begun to decay. Preliminary assessment suggests she has been dead for over a month."
Behind her stood a young girl, diligently taking notes, not daring to relax for even a second. As she examined every trace on the corpse with great care, the woman—Zhuo Qing—frowned upon reaching the fingers, her voice still calm and cool:"All ten fingernails have been forcibly removed."
"Again, all ten?" Xing Lan, momentarily stunned, quickly looked up."Dr. Zhuo, could this be a serial murder case?!"
This marked the fourth female corpse found with its nails torn off.
Focused on her dissection, Zhuo Qing gave no immediate answer. After a moment, she responded in her usual icy tone:"Whether this is the work of a serial killer is for the investigative unit to determine. As a forensic pathologist, my duty is to meticulously document every feature of the body and establish the cause of death, providing evidence and leads for the case. Jumping to conclusions may lead to oversight."
"Understood." Xing Lan stuck out her tongue in silence. Dr. Zhuo was the youngest and most exceptional lead pathologist in recent years. Learning under her had accelerated her own progress immensely. But her unchanging cold expression and piercing gaze during work were still quite intimidating.
"The victim has obvious contusions and finger marks around the neck, blackened with bruising. No other major external injuries were found. Cause of death is asphyxiation. The lower body is intact, ruling out the possibility of sexual assault."
As she removed her gloves, Zhuo Qing added,"Xiao Xing, compile the report before dawn for me to sign, then submit it to the criminal unit. Also, deliver the collected samples to the lab first thing in the morning. After that, you're free to rest."
Xing Lan cried inwardly but didn't hesitate, immediately replying,"Understood."
Another sleepless night.
As she packed the deceased's clothing and skin samples, her gaze landed on a palm-sized, round metallic object."Dr. Zhuo, this was found in the victim's coat pocket. Should we hand it over to the investigators?"
Zhuo Qing glanced at it indifferently."Send it to the lab first. They'll handle it."
With that, she strode swiftly out of the autopsy room.
"Yes." Finishing up her notes and samples, Xing Lan quickly followed. Though she'd worked in the forensic department for over six months, she still dreaded being alone with corpses in the dead of night.
"How's the autopsy report coming along?"As they neared the office, a figure blocked their path. Leaning casually against the doorframe stood a slender woman with short, tousled hair and a fierce, unwavering gaze.
"Captain Gu, don't you think you're overdoing it? It's already 3 a.m.!" Xing Lan moaned.
Gu Yun raised a brow and smiled,"So what?"
Xing Lan slumped in defeat."So… I'll sort the report right away. You'll have the results before dawn!"
No wonder Captain Gu and Dr. Zhuo got along so well—both were workaholics.
As Xing Lan dragged herself into the office, Gu Yun called out with a laugh,"Thanks!"
Across the hall, Zhuo Qing opened her private office. Gu Yun followed and was about to speak when Zhuo Qing's signature cool voice interrupted:"What's the matter? Another sleepless night?"
"To hell with you!" Gu Yun rolled her eyes."Female homicides have surged this month. Director Li is livid. The second criminal unit doesn't even know what time of day it is anymore!"
Zhuo Qing casually pulled out a pen securing her hair, and long black tresses fell past her waist. She sank into the sofa, half-closing her eyes in exhaustion."So, any surprises in yesterday's provincial sanda tournament?"
"None!" Gu Yun snapped. Just thinking about it annoyed her. With so many cases piling up, the leadership still forced her to compete. She always won the women's division anyway—what was the point?
Watching Zhuo Qing nearly drift off to sleep, Gu Yun lightly patted her shoulder and chuckled,"Hey, I'm talking about the case!"
Though her eyes were drowsy, Zhuo Qing's mind was still sharp."This victim shares similarities with the previous three cases—strangulation via the trachea, leading to asphyxiation, and all ten fingernails removed. The method is consistent. If this is a serial case, judging from decomposition, this woman may have been the first victim."
Gu Yun paced slowly in thought. Suddenly, her eye caught something glinting faintly near the office door. She picked it up—an ornate golden disc etched with a Bagua diagram. It was likely evidence, perhaps accidentally dropped.
"What's this?" she asked, approaching Zhuo Qing.
Zhuo Qing opened her eyes and immediately frowned.That careless Xing Lan! How could she lose such a crucial piece of evidence?
Sitting up straight, she replied,"Found it in the victim's coat pocket. Once the lab finishes testing it, it'll come to you."
Now knowing it was case evidence, Gu Yun perked up. Only a small desk lamp was on in the office. She lifted the blinds and, under the unusually bright moonlight, began examining the object closely.
She stared at the disc, not noticing how the crimson clouds in the sky grew heavier the moment she raised the Bagua disc toward the moon.
Strange… It looked golden before, yet now it seemed red. Could one side be colored?
She flipped it over—no, both sides bore the same blood-red pattern, and a faint crimson glow emanated from the disc.
What in the world…?
Suddenly—"Hiss!" A sharp sting lanced through her finger.
Zhuo Qing walked over."What happened?"
Gu Yun glanced down. A deep cut had appeared on her index finger, and blood dripped onto the evidence bag. She smiled casually."Nothing. Must've scraped myself on something."
But the wound was deep and kept bleeding. Frowning, Zhuo Qing retrieved cotton from a nearby shelf and pressed it to the wound."Apply pressure."
Gu Yun rolled her eyes. Just a scratch!
Yet within seconds, the cotton was soaked. Zhuo Qing's eyes narrowed. What could be so sharp that even stopping the bleeding proved difficult?
Taking the disc from Gu Yun's hand, Zhuo Qing's expression changed dramatically."This… what's happening?"
For once, the unflappable pathologist looked visibly shaken.
Curious, Gu Yun leaned in—and gasped."The blood… it seeped in!"
The drops that had fallen outside the clear evidence bag were now gone—yet blood had appeared on the surface of the red Bagua disc.
How could that be? Blood had passed through the sealed bag?
"Damn!" After a stunned moment, both women exclaimed,"This report's going to be a nightmare!"
They exchanged helpless smiles, already dreading the explanation they'd have to give for how Gu Yun's blood ended up on the evidence.
Neither of them noticed the droplet of blood that had crept into the center of the Bagua disc, along a delicate curved groove—right into the meeting point of yin and yang.
And the moment it touched the core, the disc erupted in a blinding red light…