Ye Huohuo looked at the forensic doctors in front of her. These people were all firm atheists, and convincing them was harder than climbing to heaven.
But if she let it go, it was a matter of life and death. Not only might it reduce her merit, but she also couldn't bear to do so.
Li Mochen, standing by her side, was also anxious, but he had no better way to persuade Cai Bei and the others.
Ye Huohuo's gaze lingered on the body bag. To outsiders, she appeared to be in a daze, but in reality, her mind was racing.
"Alright, this case might be related to our previous ones. We don't have time to waste with you here. Carry it in!" Cai Bei directed the two young forensic assistants behind him to carry the body into the building.
"Wait, I told you to let the body sunbathe, and there's a reason for it. This body definitely has issues." Ye Huohuo, in her urgency, stood directly in their path.
"If you interfere again, I'll have you removed!"
Although Cai Bei appeared easygoing, he was extremely meticulous when it came to his work. In essence, his personality was very similar to his sister, Cai Xiaoxi, both possessing a stubborn streak.
"Forensic Doctor Cai, this body carries a virus that can only be killed by sunlight. Otherwise, it will spread rapidly. If it's brought inside the building, it will spread throughout the entire building. Are you really willing to risk everyone in the building?" Ye Huohuo couldn't think of a better explanation, so she had to brace herself and come up with a reason she thought Cai Bei and the others would accept.
"A virus? It's fine, we can disinfect the dissection room thoroughly."
Cai Bei was unconcerned.
But Ye Huohuo held tightly onto the stretcher, refusing to let them pass. "Your disinfection methods are useless against this virus; only sunlight can kill it. Although I don't know the origin of this virus, I know it was deliberately placed on this body.
If you don't believe me, check his waist. Is there a mark? If there isn't such a mark, you can punish me however you like. But if there is, please, for everyone's safety, leave the body in the sun for two hours."
As Ye Huohuo spoke, she picked up a small pebble and drew a pattern resembling a pentagram on the ground.
Cai Bei looked at the pattern on the ground, his brows furrowing gradually. "Are you sure there's this pattern on his waist?"
"You'll know if it's true or false when you see it," Ye Huohuo added.
"Why haven't you brought the body in yet? The smell is unbearable!" A voice boomed behind them like thunder.
Ye Huohuo didn't need to turn around to know who it was. Captain Liu Keqiang. What impressed her most about him was his voice. Perhaps it was due to his work, but his voice was incredibly loud. Sometimes, when maintaining a crime scene, he didn't need a loudspeaker; his booming voice could be heard from a great distance.
"Captain Liu, this young lady is blocking us!" Xiao Tang, being quick-witted, blurted out.
"Who?" Liu Keqiang was dark-skinned, but his eyes were like lightning. He looked at Ye Huohuo, causing her to involuntarily shiver.
She thought to herself, as expected of an old detective. He could make her uneasy without her having done anything wrong. If it were someone who had actually done wrong, they would surely have extraordinary psychological fortitude to remain calm under his gaze.
As Ye Huohuo was thinking, Liu Keqiang happened to see her. "You... Miss Ye?"
He had seen her a couple of days ago while working on a case, and Liu Keqiang recognized her instantly. "Why are you at the police station? Do you have another case to report?"
Ye Huohuo had also watched the dismemberment video of Lu Fangfang with them previously.
Although Liu Keqiang didn't fully agree with Ye Huohuo's claims, he hadn't entirely dismissed them either.
Seeing him approach, Ye Huohuo first flashed a big smile. She always smiled her most charming smile before asking for help.
"Captain Liu, what a coincidence! I do have something, but it's a minor matter. The current issue is more significant." She gestured towards the body bag. "Captain Liu, I was just telling Forensic Doctor Cai that this body should be left to sunbathe for two hours before being brought inside, otherwise the virus inside might infect everyone on the first floor."
"Ah? Leave the body in the courtyard?" A young police officer immediately looked as if he had swallowed a fly, almost retching. "Miss, do you know how bad this body smells? If you leave it in the courtyard, not only will everyone in the building be unable to work, but even people passing by the courtyard entrance will be made sick."
"Isn't this just wishful thinking?" Xiao Tang chimed in.
Ye Huohuo ignored them, knowing the focus wasn't on them. She looked intently at Cai Bei and Liu Keqiang. "What do you say?"
The two exchanged a look, their eyes filled with unspoken meaning.
"Alright, let's take a look first. Does his waist have the mark you mentioned?" Cai Bei asked Xiao Tang and the other to place the stretcher on the ground and told irrelevant personnel to stand far back.
Those people, without being told, all voluntarily moved far away.
Even Li Mochen wanted to run, but seeing Ye Huohuo alone amidst a circle of police officers, she looked rather pitiful. Moreover, if his elder brother found out he hadn't taken good care of his sister-in-law, the consequences would be severe.
He had no choice but to grit his teeth and stay.
Fortunately, Cai Bei was his good friend. Before opening the body bag, he gave him and Ye Huohuo two masks, the kind forensic doctors use, which could provide some protection against the stench of decomposition.
Even so, as soon as the body bag was opened, an overwhelming stench exploded in the courtyard like a biochemical bomb.
Ye Huohuo considered herself to have weathered many storms, but the smell still made her retreat a couple of steps.
Li Mochen fared worse. He almost tumbled over, and, disregarding his image, ran to a distance to vomit violently.
Only Cai Bei and Liu Keqiang remained the most composed.
Cai Bei's expression was largely unchanged, and Liu Keqiang merely frowned.
Ye Huohuo turned her head and took a couple of deep breaths before turning back to look at the body.
The body had already undergone extreme decomposition, appearing about twice its normal size. It was swollen like an overinflated balloon, and all facial features were so distorted that they were unrecognizable. The nose was almost squeezed out of existence by the surrounding flesh.
It no longer resembled a human. If they were to search for the victim in this state, they might search for a lifetime and never find them.
Cai Bei, being an experienced forensic doctor, used his hands, clad in two layers of rubber gloves, to turn the body slightly to the side, obviously intending to examine the person's waist.
"The body is already in this state. Even if there was such a mark on it, it's probably gone," Liu Keqiang said, having also paused for a moment when he saw the pattern Ye Huohuo had drawn on the ground.
When he met Cai Bei's gaze, he seemed to want to say something but held back. Now, he spoke, as if hoping there would be a mark on the body.
Cai Bei didn't speak, concentrating on moving the body. However, the body was simply too large and too heavy for him to move alone.
He intended to ask Xiao Tang and the others for help, but when he turned around, he discovered that those youngsters had already retreated to a distance, covering their noses with masks.
Just as he was about to curse, two hands reached out to help him move it. "Alright, let's do it together!" Liu Keqiang extended his hand to help him.
Finally, with their combined effort, the body was turned to its side, revealing its lower back.
The two of them, their eyes wide open, stared intently...