This marked Zhuo Qing's third entry into the mortuary of the Ministry of Justice. Perhaps her previous suggestions to Dan Yulan had proven effective, for this time, the room was noticeably colder than on her prior visits.
Upon the autopsy table lay three female corpses, arranged in a row. Their complexions were far paler than usual, and their bodies bore no visible wounds—save for a fine, precise incision at the chest. Apart from that, their skin was smooth and unblemished, as flawless as polished jade.
Wrapped in a thick cotton robe, Zhuo Qing's slender hands and keen eyes meticulously examined every inch of the bodies. She left no part untouched, even inspecting the scalp and the crevices between their fingers.
Dan Yulan, Lü Jin, and Cheng Hang stood beside her, while Mo Bai watched quietly from behind. Clad in light clothing despite the chill, he showed no sign of shivering, his cold expression rivaling the icy atmosphere of the room.
Lü Jin and Cheng Hang watched Zhuo Qing with growing curiosity. The adult's deference toward her was telling, and her composure and expertise during the autopsy made one fact indisputable—she was a true master of the craft.
Unlike before, Zhuo Qing did not narrate her observations as she examined the bodies. Only after thoroughly inspecting all three did she finally lift her head, glancing at the three men around her.
"Tell me your conclusions," she said.
Lü Jin looked to Dan Yulan, who nodded slightly in response. Receiving silent approval, Lü Jin straightened and reported:
"All three victims were women. Though the time of death differs for each, their bodies exhibit no external injuries apart from a five-inch-long incision beneath the left breast. The edges of the wound are clean and smooth, suggesting the murder weapon was a razor-sharp, double-edged dagger approximately six to seven inches in length.
The cause of death appears to be the removal of the heart through the incision. There are no signs of struggle on the corpses, yet the facial expressions are etched with overwhelming terror. I believe they were immobilized by acupoint strikes—paralyzed and unable to cry out, but fully conscious at the time of death, which would explain their horrified expressions."
"What's your name?"
Startled but obliging, Lü Jin answered, "Lü Jin."
Zhuo Qing smiled at Dan Yulan. "Your student?"
He nodded. "Yes."
"Promising," she remarked with satisfaction. Judging by his youthful appearance—perhaps just over twenty—his insights were impressive, especially given the limitations of forensic resources in ancient times.
The reason she hadn't voiced her findings immediately was simple: she wanted to gauge the disparity between modern and traditional forensic practices. While she didn't presume to revolutionize ancient techniques, she did hope to impart what she knew and subtly reshape their understanding.
Her smile fading, Zhuo Qing fixed her gaze on Lü Jin's youthful face and said in a solemn tone,
"I largely agree with your assessment, but I do take issue with two points. First, the cause of death. In my opinion, it was hypovolemic shock—death resulting from rapid and excessive blood loss without timely replenishment."
Fearing they might not grasp the medical term, she immediately clarified her final sentence.
Cheng Hang retorted without hesitation: "Their hearts were removed. Why wouldn't that be the cause of death?"
Though she had remained composed while examining the corpses and clearly possessed some skill, he placed greater trust in Lü Jin's methods.
"The cessation of a heartbeat for fifteen minutes does not, by itself, result in death. However, within that same timeframe, if an artery is severed and blood loss is severe, death is inevitable. Were there copious amounts of blood at the crime scene?"
Though she hadn't personally visited the scene, the pallor of the corpses and the shrunken internal organs were clear indicators of massive blood loss.
Cheng Hang nodded. "Yes—blood on the bed, the floor, everywhere. What's so unusual about that?"
"When a person dies, the circulatory system halts, and blood vessels lose function. Postmortem bleeding is minimal and localized, without large pools or spatter patterns. The presence of extensive blood at the crime scene suggests that the victims were still alive when their hearts were removed and only died after bleeding out."
Her cool, crystalline voice laid out the explanation with chilling clarity.
Cheng Hang turned to Lü Jin for confirmation. The young man's expression had grown grave as he stared intently at the corpses, clearly deep in thought. Dan Yulan, too, appeared contemplative, and Cheng Hang dared not interject further.
After a pause, Zhuo Qing stepped beside the corpse and addressed the dazed Lü Jin:
"Come here."
Still lost in thought, his feet moved instinctively until he stood beside her.
"When bleeding occurs before death, blood coagulates quickly. After death, however, the blood does not clot. Moreover, antemortem bleeding releases fibrin networks that bind tightly to tissue—rinsing won't remove them. But postmortem blood can be washed away."
She rubbed her gloved fingers against the nearby ice, dampening them slightly, then gently rubbed the wound. The dried blood showed no change. She moved her hand to a crimson smear near the waist and lightly brushed it—the blood faded easily.
Lü Jin finally understood. This petite woman was demonstrating how to distinguish the nature of blood stains. Though he had never encountered this knowledge before, her practical demonstration had made it perfectly clear.
He immediately clasped his hands and bowed. "Thank you for your instruction, Madam."
Zhuo Qing gave no response to his gratitude. Seeing that he had grasped the point, she continued:
"Second, you mentioned acupoint strikes as the cause of immobility. I find that highly improbable."
"Why?" the doubt was written plainly in Lü Jin and Cheng Hang's eyes.
Without waiting for their question, Zhuo Qing answered coldly:
"Acupoint strikes involve targeting sensitive or vulnerable areas of the body to induce numbness, weakness, or intense pain, thereby rendering a person defenseless. Yet these victims maintained the same posture until death. If acupoints had been struck, blood circulation in those areas would have been impeded, and livor mortis should have formed there.
Look at the corpses. Due to the severe blood loss, the livor mortis is faint, but it's limited to their backs."
Lü Jin gently lifted the most recently deceased noblewoman. As she had said, the livor mortis appeared only on the back. Laying the body back down, Lü Jin was thoroughly convinced.
He asked respectfully, "Madam, have you discovered anything else?"
Perhaps she had noticed something they had overlooked.
"The killer had precise knowledge of human anatomy—especially the heart. Judging by the wound, he made a single incision at the intersection of the left midclavicular line and the fifth intercostal space—exactly where the heart lies.
He managed to sever the heart's vessels and extract the organ without leaving so much as a scratch on the ribs. Even seasoned butchers would find that difficult, let alone ordinary physicians."
Zhuo Qing pointed at the victims' wide, terror-stricken eyes and shook her head.
"I've no additional findings, only questions. The strangest aspect of the case is this—why do the victims' faces reflect such terror, yet their bodies show no signs of struggle? Not even a trace of tissue beneath their fingernails.
This means they were fully conscious but didn't resist at all. That's deeply unsettling.
Moreover, the killer removed all their clothing but did not sexually assault them. What was the purpose of such an act?"
Dan Yulan had pondered this mystery as well. Perhaps solving these questions would unlock the method of the murders.
The three women appeared to have remained conscious, but when Miss Lou was attacked that night, she had no awareness whatsoever.
Had the killer changed his method—or could there be more than one perpetrator?
A sudden thought struck Zhuo Qing. She fixed her gaze on Lü Jin and said gravely:
"Lü Jin, in your report, you omitted a critical detail—whether or not the victims were sexually assaulted. That's a significant oversight.
You may feel constrained by social customs, but as a forensic examiner, you must set such concerns aside and perform your duty without reservation."
"Yes, Madam." Lü Jin lowered his head. He had indeed conducted the examination but refrained from mentioning it due to her presence.
Yet she had proven herself open-minded and direct—it was he who had been too cautious.
The hour was growing late, and the autopsy was complete. Zhuo Qing peeled off her gloves and said,
"Lord Dan, it's getting late. I shall take my leave now. As for the case…"