Just as Wang Dali and I stepped out of the music room, he came over, eyes blazing with indignation.
"That old Qin forensic guy is way too much! Sister Xiao Tao, don't worry. Even if the task force kicks you out, Song Yang and I will always have your back."
"Thank you!" Huang Xiaotao forced a smile. She had just been the respected team leader, now reduced to a lone hero with no support. The emotional blow must have been heavy.
Wang Dali frowned, "I don't get it. How can a forensic doctor have so much power that he can lead the task force and kick you out? I always thought forensic doctors just stay hidden in the morgue, mysterious and aloof, more interested in the dead than the living. Plus, in dramas, they're usually sexy, cold, white-coated ladies."
"That's just Hollywood nonsense," I chuckled. "Forensic doctors have official positions. They don't just hide in morgues all day. They do autopsies, sure, but they also work with the police at crime scenes, help solve cases, provide crucial evidence, even testify in court."
"You really know your stuff," Xiaotao admired.
"Know your enemy to win the war!" I grinned.
"Qin holds a rank equivalent to Police Superintendent, two levels above me. He's on par with Captain Lin in the Criminal Investigation Unit," Xiaotao explained.
"No wonder he's such a badass!" Wang Dali nodded.
I asked, "Is Captain Lin your direct superior?"
"Yes."
"And above him?"
"The head of the Criminal Investigation Unit."
"And above that?"
"Director Sun."
"Who's Director Sun?"
"Sun Hu. We call him 'Old Tiger Sun' behind his back because of his temper."
I chuckled. It had been over three years since I last saw him, and now he was the director. Looks like his career was going well. Xiaotao asked why I was laughing.
"Nothing, just the name's hilarious."
She shot me a sideways glance. "You have weird humor."
Then she sighed. "The cops there will definitely tell Qin about your discovery. With his resources and manpower, he'll beat us to cracking the case."
"Don't trust me at all?" I asked.
"I do, but you're just a forensic guy. Can you really solve cases?" she pouted.
"Well, let's see if the horse can pull the cart first!" I was confident.
"Don't boast too much, what if it backfires?" she warned.
"Honestly, I already have some clues from the autopsy. Just a few doubts to confirm," I said.
"Really? How sure are you about solving it?"
"100%! Trust me, I'll solve it before Qin does." I smiled confidently.
Xiaotao was moved. "We've only just met an hour ago, why are you helping me so much? How can I ever thank you?"
"Dinner's on me!" I said.
"What?" She blinked, thinking I said something else. Realizing, she laughed, "Alright! When the case is closed, you name the restaurant, I'm paying!"
Wang Dali clapped excitedly, "Awesome! I'm going all out at McDonald's!"
I gave him a disdainful look. Near campus, McDonald's is about as fancy as it gets. If she's paying, might as well hit a steakhouse or a hotpot place.
We arrived at the girls' dormitory. A sign hung on the door: "Girls Only, No Boys Allowed."
Wang Dali worried the dorm supervisor wouldn't let us in. I said, "No need to go up. Just ask the supervisor if Fang Fang and Tian Tian are here."
He came back shortly, cursing, "That Qin guy's sneaky! He got to the witnesses first and took them away! Yangzi, why did you have to be so blatant when you left? Now the only lead's cut off."
I suddenly burst out laughing.
They asked why. "Qin's not as clever as he thinks. I deliberately made him think those two girls were key witnesses. He totally fell for it."
Xiaotao thought for a moment. "But their statements don't match our findings. They're clearly hiding something. That could be an important clue."
"They're irrelevant to the case, actually. They didn't see the real crime scene, only what the killer wanted them to see. Chasing them is a waste of time," I explained.
"Then where will you check?"
"Deng Chao's dorm."
Wang Dali slapped my shoulder. "You're sly! I thought I knew you well, but today I realized you're full of surprises."
I gave him a deadpan look. "Why do you sound so gay? Don't tell me you share a hobby with Lao Yao?"
"No way! Lao Yao's disgusting. I'm a straight-up straight guy!" Wang Dali quickly denied.
Xiaotao sighed, "I've been in the police long enough to not get your college slang."
"It's nothing. We were just talking about a classmate," I smiled.
Lao Yao was a weirdo in our department — a hacking whiz with a creepy vibe. Unlike other guys, he wasn't into girls but obsessed with handsome young guys. That made all the male students keep their distance.
In our chats, "Lao Yao" became a symbol for a certain… unusual taste.
Suddenly, I remembered something. "Xiaotao and I are going to Deng Chao's dorm. You go find Lao Yao and ask for his help."
"What?" Wang Dali reacted like a cat stepping on its tail. "No way! You forgot last time when you forgot to close your door and he took naked pics of you?"
Damn, bringing up my dark past in front of Xiaotao. My carefully built image just collapsed.
Xiaotao's gaze changed a bit...
"Nonsense! No naked pics. Just rumors. Anyway, only Lao Yao can help, so I have to ask him." I pulled out an evidence bag with the victim's phone inside.
Xiaotao gasped, "You're hiding evidence?"
"No! I just forgot to return it after the autopsy. I swear I'm not hiding anything. If it causes trouble, I'll give it back to Qin right now."
"It's fine. This evidence was found by us, so not hiding. Didn't expect you'd play dirty like this. I'm impressed!" she smirked.
I looked innocent. With so many cops around and my argument with Qin just now, I'm no magician to steal the phone unnoticed.
Wang Dali frowned. "You want Lao Yao to unlock the phone?"
"More than that. It's probably Deng Chao's phone. I suspect there are encrypted or deleted files that might be key evidence. After thinking it over, only Lao Yao, the unbeatable hacker, can help."
He sighed, "For a friend, I'm willing to sacrifice everything—even my dignity!"