Insights Chapter 82: Explosion

Chapter 82: Explosion

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

At the scene, in front of the Qingwang Mansion, Shen Junci was about to walk towards the police car when suddenly a group of people rushed over, with some carrying microphones in the front and others holding cameras in the back, all bearing various identification marks indicating they were journalists who had rushed to the scene upon receiving news.

The crowd immediately broke through the blockade line, with the journalists eager to report firsthand information. In an instant, camera flashes flickered, capturing images of the villa behind and the police officers present.

Seeing this, Shen Junci lowered his head again and put on his mask. He walked towards the vicinity of the body removal vehicle and was surrounded by the journalists. Microphones were thrust in front of him impolitely, poking towards his chest.

“Are you the medical examiner for this case? Mr. Jin Yuewen has been confirmed dead?”

“I heard Mr. Jin’s corpse was left for several days before being discovered. Can you tell us the specifics?”

“Did Mr. Jin live with his father? Was there one victim or two?”

The journalists blocked the path of the body removal vehicle, making it impossible for the car to move, and the driver kept honking the horn.

Shen Junci was not in a hurry to get in the car. He glanced coldly around, opened the car door, and a strong smell emanated from it. Realizing that the corpse was inside the body bag in the car, the journalists collectively retreated with a buzzing sound. However, they didn’t want to miss out on this piece of news. They stood confronting the body removal vehicle not far away, causing it still unable to move.

Seeing this scene, Gu Yanchen took two steps forward, blocking Shen Junci. He directed the journalists aside, “Please, do not obstruct the police from carrying out their duties. I am the detective in charge of this case. If you have any questions, ask me.”

The crowd dispersed, and only then did Shen Junci get into the car, close the door, and drive away. The medical examiner left, but the detective Gu Yanchen remained, and the journalists had a lot of questions for him.

“What is the current situation of the case? Are there any suspects?”

“Are there any other victims in the case?”

Watching the medical examiner’s car safely driving away, Gu Yanchen gave a few polite words, “The case is still under investigation, and currently, there is no further information to disclose. We, the police, will work hard to apprehend the culprit. Please, pay attention to further police announcements.”

Lu Ying and Bai Meng came out to re-establish the cordon, with the addition of security guards from the community who had arrived, finally maintaining order at the scene. Just when things were settling down, another group of people rushed in from outside the community.

Lu Ying cursed under his breath, then turned to the person in charge of the property management, “What’s going on with this community? Can’t you keep it sealed?”

The police force was limited. They could block off the villa, but they couldn’t seal the entire community. Cooperation from the property management was needed for controlling entry and exit. An increase in foot traffic could easily disturb the scene, greatly affecting the investigation of the case.

The person in charge of the property management explained, “Comrade policeman, you don’t know how crazy these people are. They even broke our barriers. Just now, a group of people rushed in without registration, and the security guards didn’t stop them. We’re currently conducting a thorough check…”

The Captain from the sub-bureau intervened, “I’ve already requested support. We’ll have more auxiliary police officers come over from the sub-bureau later to help disperse the crowd.”

The emotions of these newcomers were much more agitated compared to the journalists; they were crying and shouting one by one. There was even an old lady sitting on the ground, wailing, “Jin Yuewen, why did you leave before me? How can I repay you…”

The cries were loud, but not a single tear was shed.

Another person accidentally revealed their inner thoughts, “Boss Jin, you’re gone, and we’re still short of 10,000 in sponsorship. What am I going to do?”

Bai Meng whispered, “Are these the people Boss Jin helped before? Why do I feel like these people are a bit fake?”

Lu Ying saw through it at a glance, “The ones dancing up front are professional beggars; most likely, it’s just a show.”

Gradually, more mourners arrived, quietly standing by the scene, placing a few chrysanthemums and then leaving.

Lu Ying said, “Those are the real ones, genuinely helped and grateful people who have come to mourn. They are eager for the culprit to be severely punished. Why would they come to disturb the police investigation?”

Bai Meng said, “I’ve encountered this before. They join a group and claim their son has leukemia, how miserable they are. But then the pictures they post are found online, and even the names and locations don’t match. It’s all fake, these scammers make it hard to distinguish between genuine and fake acts of kindness.”

Legitimate media outlets found no significant information for interviews and started to withdraw. Only a few self-media outlets remained. They saw the tearful people finally finding new material and rushed over in a frenzy. Even if they couldn’t interview the police, interviewing related individuals for a memorial-themed special would suffice.

As a result, those crying and wailing people found their stage, their desire to perform surged, and for a moment, they danced wildly in front of the camera.

Lu Ying found this scene somewhat ironic. He sighed, “Well, they’ve all mixed in together now. It’s like using poison against poison. But who knows what nonsense they’ll spread online later.”

Gu Yanchen watched coldly from the side. He whispered to Bai Meng, “Use the camera to capture images of everyone who arrived at the scene.”

Bai Meng asked, “Why? Do you suspect someone?”

Gu Yanchen said, “Not yet, but just in case. I’m afraid the culprit might return to the crime scene amidst the chaos.”

Returning to the crime scene was a behavior common among many criminals, and some even accepted media interviews. For psychopaths, the feeling of returning to the scene unnoticed could provide them with extreme satisfaction. As for timid criminals, going back to the scene could give them insight into the progress of the police investigation, providing them with peace of mind. Police officers continued searching near the yard.

Gu Yanchen noticed a man wearing a hat from afar, looking in their direction. Despite the hot weather, the man was dressed in many layers, wearing a mask, and carrying a media interview badge on his chest. Gu Yanchen was about to go over for a closer look when the man seemed to sense his gaze and turned and walked away. That man probably wasn’t the culprit, just seemed familiar, maybe a media reporter he’d seen before. Gu Yanchen was busy with affairs and didn’t pursue further.

The scene was finally preliminarily investigated, and the villa was locked up. The person in charge of the property management came over again, “Captain Gu, our data is almost ready. Shall we go and look at the surveillance?”

Gu Yanchen asked Bai Meng to go back to the City Bureau first, then took Lu Ying with him as they walked to the property management office.

Along the way, the head of security led them, talking incessantly, “Our job is difficult too. Do you know how much we pay security guards in this community?”

Lu Ying asked, “4,500?”

The head of security sighed, “Nowhere near that much. It’s 3,200 a month, including room and board. Although it’s the highest among the nearby communities, it still can’t retain people. We often have to work night shifts, which are especially tiring. For me, it took five years to become the captain, and I only make 6,000 a month.” He felt some emotions at this point, shaking his head, “Look at this community. Even the cheapest house costs over ten million, but they hire a bunch of people earning 3,000 a month to protect them.”

“Probably the really wealthy hire bodyguards.” Lu Ying said, “Nowadays, this is the price. Even us new police officers make only a few thousand. Yet we’re responsible for maintaining the city’s security and are ready to sacrifice our lives at any moment.”

The head of security flattered, “So you, the police, are great.”

Gu Yanchen walked behind, observing the community environment all the way until they reached the property management office. The information provided by the security team mainly consisted of two parts: surveillance videos and visitor records for the past three months in the community. Gu Yanchen first looked through the visitor records. For the convenience of the police investigation, the property management specifically marked those who visited Jin Yuewen’s home.

Gu Yanchen asked, “Can you guarantee that every person entering is recorded?”

The head of the security team, surnamed Chen, paused and said, “At least those we see are recorded.”

Lu Ying asked Captain Chen, “Do you know who usually visits their house?”

Captain Chen said, “Mr. Jin’s visitors include his business partners, employees, representatives from the foundation, and some of his beneficiaries. He also hired a maid, but she doesn’t come every day; she comes by appointment, about twice a week to clean.”

The register listed names, contact information, and entry times, but the security work seemed superficial, with many entries written carelessly, and it was unclear if the names were genuine or made up. Some phone numbers also seemed randomly filled in.

Gu Yanchen opened the record book to five days ago; there were only two or three entries. He felt there must be omissions in the records, so he didn’t have high hopes. He then started reviewing the CCTV records from five days ago on the computer in the security room. The community is quite large, but there aren’t many cameras installed inside, especially none directly facing Jin’s door. There’s only one positioned a few meters away from the entrance.

On the screen, it was raining heavily, making the footage blurry and difficult to see anything clearly. Captain Chen pointed with his finger, “Approximately this direction is Jin Yuewen’s doorstep. Access in and out can only be through here.”

So they could only see one angle. Gu Yanchen steadied his mind and continued to watch.

Lu Ying squinted at the screen, “Your community has installed lonely cameras; what’s the point of having one so far away?”

Captain Chen looked embarrassed and rubbed his hands, “Actually, the cameras in the community used to be installed differently, closer to the residents’ windows. But then there were incidents…”

Seeing him hesitate, Lu Ying asked, “What incidents? Don’t tell me someone was caught cheating with another woman by his wife through the surveillance footage?”

Captain Chen gave a thumbs-up, “You guys at the City Bureau are truly capable, with strong deductive skills indeed. It was a company’s CEO who kept a mistress in this community. His wife discovered it through the surveillance footage.”

Lu Ying wasn’t pleased with the praise. He shrugged, “So just because one homeowner caused trouble, you changed all the cameras in the community?”

Captain Chen replied, “You’re spot on!”

Lu Ying sighed, “Stop with the flattery and say something useful.”

Captain Chen was hesitant and rubbed his hands, “Well, you see, many homeowners were worried about this. After that incident, the homeowner committee said the surveillance was for preventing theft, not for monitoring residents’ freedom. In case it captures any infringement of their privacy, they made us move the cameras five meters further away, not directly facing the doors and windows of the villas.”

Gu Yanchen frowned upon hearing this. It turned out that there had indeed been an incident, and at a critical moment, there was a slip-up. The most crucial surveillance was practically useless, unable to find the culprit.

Captain Chen continued to reassure them, “Although it’s a bit far and blurry, it’s on the path to Mr. Jin’s villa. If the culprit passed by, they would surely be captured.”

Gu Yanchen asked, “Are there any other ways to enter and exit this area?”

Captain Chen replied, “Our community’s walls are three meters high, all wired up. Basically, only a few gates allow entry and exit. Each household has a solid wall of trees outside, impenetrable. In the area of Mr. Jin’s villa, there’s only this road.”

As he finished speaking, they saw someone passing by the surveillance area wearing a raincoat, heading directly towards Jin Yuewen’s villa.

Gu Yanchen checked the surveillance time; it was past ten in the evening. The person slipped by, and the surveillance didn’t capture much. The raincoat covered most of the person’s face, but it was evident from the height and shoes that it was a man. He wore an old pair of sneakers, and as he passed a brightly lit area, he briefly lifted his head.

Lu Ying asked, “Could this be the culprit?”

Gu Yanchen didn’t say anything and continued to fast forward. About ten minutes later, the man in the raincoat reappeared, walking swiftly away from the camera, flashing by in a matter of seconds and disappearing from the screen. Gu Yanchen watched further, but even after the rain stopped and the sky brightened, no one appeared again.

Lu Ying brought over the logbook, “Captain Chen, who is this person? There’s no record of anyone entering or exiting at this time. Your logbook doesn’t match at all, does it?”

Captain Chen guessed, “Maybe it’s another homeowner in the community? Or something else? Ah, who was on duty that night?”

He turned to ask the security guards standing behind him, but none of them spoke up.

Gu Yanchen replayed the surveillance footage. When the man entered, he momentarily lifted his head. Gu Yanchen seized the opportunity to take a screenshot.

At that moment, it seemed like the man’s gaze met the camera. A tall security guard watching the footage turned pale and pulled Captain Chen back, trying to whisper something.

Lu Ying caught sight of all this and spoke up, “If you have a clue, just say it.”

Captain Chen also said, “Yes, we’re helping with the investigation. There’s nothing you can’t let the police comrades know.”

When the leader spoke, the tall security guard stammered, “I think that person looks like Song Ran…”

Another chubby security guard added, “I remember Song Ran saying that night he left some luggage in the dormitory. He greeted us and went in to get it, so his name isn’t on the record.”

Another security guard chimed in, “Yes, we only record entries, not exits. So, I didn’t pay attention to when he left.”

When this was said, Captain Chen’s expression changed. It was as if he had lifted a stone to drop it on his own foot. He wanted to silence the two security guards, but it was already too late.

Gu Yanchen turned and asked, “Do you know this person?”

Captain Chen could only tell the truth, “He’s a security guard who recently left our team…”

Gu Yanchen asked, “How long did he work here? When did he leave?”

“He worked here for six months in total and left seven days ago. I’ll call him…” Captain Chen’s hands were shaking, and his teeth were clenching. “Damn it, he was disobedient in the team, always lying in bed being lazy. I never thought it would be him.”

The phone rang twice, then someone hung up.

Captain Chen’s complexion worsened. He turned back and asked, “Do you know where Song Ran went after he left?”

All the security guards shook their heads.

Captain Chen was visibly panicked. If it turned out that a former security guard killed a homeowner in the community, this matter would be on the news tomorrow, and he would definitely lose his job.

With Jin Yuewen dead, and a former security guard seen wandering around the villa late at night, Gu Yanchen judged from experience that Song Ran must be related to the case. He calmly said, “Retrieve all the information about Song Ran and find a few people who were close to him, lived together with him, and come with us to the City Bureau to record statements. Lu Ying, have the bureau check if Song Ran’s phone number can be traced.”

.

In the medical examiner’s room of the Penang City Bureau, Shen Junci had already finished dissecting the corpse of Jin Yuewen with Song Qiancheng and Qi Yi’an. Throughout the entire autopsy process, the three medical examiners were exceptionally solemn, without any unnecessary communication.

Qi Yi’an looked at the corpse before him, filled with awe. One, he felt regret for Jin Yuewen’s goodness in his lifetime, and for his death; the other, looking at the colossal corpse, Qi Yi’an felt an instinctual fear. The living person, but the corpse after death seemed like a strange monster, as if possessed by a demon. The thick arms were four times thicker than those of an ordinary person.

After further examination, more information could be confirmed. The wounds were sharp-edged and the edges smooth, indicating they were caused by a sharp knife. Based on the wounds, Shen Junci simulated the shape of the knife. It was very sharp, about fifteen centimeters long, with serrations. The perpetrator exhibited a strong intent to kill, extreme cruelty, and no intention of leaving any survivors.

After the first corpse was dissected, it was stitched up and needed to be stored specially. The corpse of Jin Wenchang was also examined superficially. Although Shen Junci knew there wouldn’t be many clues on this corpse, he still stood for over two hours and decided to personally proceed. Due to the giant phenomenon, the old man’s abdominal wall was swollen and thinned, protruding high like an inflated balloon. The blue veins on the surface were embedded in the gray-white skin, clearly visible.

Shen Junci held the knife. He reminded the other two, “This corpse has swollen to its limit. We need to release the gas first. When we cut it open later, the internal organs might burst out. Be careful.”

As per standard procedure for dealing with such swollen corpses, a small hole needed to be made in the abdomen and another in the intestinal wall to release the putrefaction gasses.

Shen Junci turned the fan in the autopsy room to maximum and held his breath as he began to cut. As the scalpel sliced through the skin, Shen Junci frowned. By the feel of it, the internal decay of this corpse was likely worse than he had anticipated. Sure enough, almost at the moment the blade pierced it, the corpse instantly spurted several streams of green pus, followed by a sudden explosion. The rotten internal organs flew onto the ceiling of the autopsy room, splattering everywhere.

It was like puncturing a water-filled balloon or opening a high-pressure container. The bubbling, putrid organs were squeezed out by the gas, accumulating on the abdominal wall like a small mountain. Shen Junci was the closest, and even his hands and mask were splattered with some rotten fluid. The entire autopsy room turned into a gas chamber in an instant.

Qi Yi’an stared blankly at the exploded corpse. The scene before him was too shocking. The feared event finally occurred, and it was even more terrible than he had imagined. Song Qiancheng also looked up at the intestines on the ceiling, feeling a bit at a loss.

“Get out first!” Shen Junci said, and only then did the other two seem to awaken.

The three medical examiners hurriedly left the autopsy room and firmly closed the door. Because he had just spoken, Shen Junci unavoidably inhaled some of the putrefaction gas. As the gas entered his lungs, his body instinctively rejected it. Even he, who was usually indifferent, finally broke down.

Shen Junci staggered a few steps and walked into the restroom opposite the autopsy room, directly pulling down his mask and vomiting into the sink. In that instant, Shen Junci was extremely grateful for the design of this medical examiner building, placing the restroom closest to the autopsy room. He hadn’t vomited when dealing with ordinary corpses for a long time, but this time he couldn’t bear it.

Once it started, Shen Junci felt as if his stomach had turned into a towel, being wrung and twisted by someone’s hands, tossing and turning. After vomiting until his stomach ached, he broke out in a cold sweat, and his ears seemed to hear a sharp whistle, ringing incessantly.

Song Qiancheng and Qi Yi’an had vomited before, but by now they had emptied their stomachs. Also, they had stood far away just now and hadn’t breathed in much contaminated air. Now, seeing Shen Junci vomiting until his face changed color, the two were frightened.

Shen Junci continued to vomit until everything went dark in front of his eyes, then stopped, and rinsed his mouth with water from the tap. The three of them discarded their contaminated protective suits and gloves and went to the medical examiner’s office first.

Qi Yi’an went to fetch some warm water for Shen Junci. Shen Junci took it after a moment, his fingertips still trembling.

Qi Yi’an saw that his lips had turned pale and asked nervously, “Teacher, are you okay?”

Shen Junci shook his head, indicating that he didn’t need to worry, but his hand under the table was pressed against his abdomen. He still felt somewhat uncomfortable.

Song Qiancheng asked, “Should we… call other medical examiners to help with this corpse?”

Dissecting two giant phenomenon corpses at once was a great test of endurance and physical strength for the medical examiners. After considering it for a moment, Shen Junci said, “Forget it, I’ll do it. You two can take a rest, if you’re too tired.”

Since they were already halfway through, he didn’t really like passing the buck to others. Hearing this, Qi Yi’an and Song Qiancheng both said they could still hold on.

After resting for about thirty minutes, Shen Junci felt that the ventilation system inside should have cleared out most of the gas. He stood up again, his expression returning to calmness. “Let’s go, let’s finish the autopsy.”

In the messy medical examiner’s room, the second autopsy began. Facing the corpse, it felt like a battle. Shen Junci followed the procedure step by step, sweat soaking his forehead. When he reached the neck dissection, the scalpel sliced through the swollen and decayed flesh, exposing the wound, which looked like open mouths. Unlike the wounds inflicted on Jin Yuewen earlier, this wound was caused by a blade slicing.

The knife pierced and cut, leaving some traces.

Shen Junci carefully examined the wound, combined with the position at the time, and concluded from the direction of blood spatter. In a serious tone, he said, “The perpetrator may be left-handed.”