The charred corpse suddenly twitched as if its lower half had been stimulated. Anyone else witnessing these signs might have been terrified, but Zhang Keying and Xie Chuchu were no longer new to me.
At this moment, they were only slightly surprised, watching the corpse warily.
The Seven Apertures Exquisite Needle. It is said that a person has seven apertures: the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, through which the vital energy of the five zang organs communicates. Diseases of the five zang organs are often reflected in changes within the seven apertures.
The *Shou Shi Chuan Zhen* records: "The ears are the essence apertures, the eyes are the spirit apertures, and the mouth and nose are the qi apertures."
My acupuncture technique not only opens the seven apertures but also reactivates all the nerves in a person's body, hence the name "Exquisite."
This is a secret medical art of the He family, originally used for treating illnesses. However, through ancestral modifications, it can now be applied to forensic examinations. At this moment, I recalled my grandfather's book, *The Secrets of the Coroner and Modern Forensic Investigator's Convergence*, which stated, "Silver connects the blood vessels, the coroner gathers qi, and can communicate with the deceased." I remembered using the Seven Apertures Exquisite Needle for the first time during the case in the tourist area, but I hadn't fully grasped its potential then, nor did I know it was called the Seven Apertures Exquisite Needle. I only discovered it later by chance while browsing ancient texts in the innermost corner of my home.
If not for that, I would have been at a complete loss with this corpse today. I could tell that even the Soul Searching Technique would be ineffective on this body.
The moment I inserted the last silver needle, blood began to flow from the steel pipe. Fortunately, I had already wrapped it with a flask, and the blood quickly collected inside.
"I didn't expect this kind of corpse to still have so much blood!" Xie Chuchu clenched her fists, veins bulging on her arms, clearly tense.
Zhang Keying's long eyelashes fluttered, her thin lips pressed tightly together, her expression extremely focused.
The meager amount of blood from the corpse flowed out until it filled half the flask.
I picked it up and shook it, "Keying, I'll leave the blood analysis to you!"
"Alright!" After Zhang Keying left, we squeezed some urine from the deceased's lower body before removing the steel pipe and other instruments.
I handed the urine sample in a test tube to Xie Chuchu, while I re-examined the deceased's fingernails. When Gao Mingqiang, who was investigating the deceased's last meal location, called, I picked up my phone and answered, "What's the result?"
"Tada Shun ate at the nearby Venice Restaurant on the night of the incident, around 10 PM, before returning home to rest. According to the staff, Mr. Tada Shun was in a good mood and didn't seem to anticipate anything. He left the restaurant around 10:40 PM. I've checked the nearby surveillance footage; he went home along Kuihai East Road. However, this road is on his way from the restaurant back to the photo studio, so there's nothing suspicious."
"Then you can come back now!" I said, hanging up. Xie Chuchu returned then and told me that there were trace amounts of ether in the deceased's body. My eyes lit up. Although this drug wasn't particularly unusual, many murderers liked to use it to anesthetize their victims before committing the crime. If we ruled out the possibility of an acquaintance being the perpetrator, and the deceased showed no signs of struggle, then anesthesia was the only explanation.
Zhang Keying returned at this moment. She reported that while analyzing the blood, she had also found similar components. This time, however, she added, "There also seems to be a trace amount of some kind of pollen that entered the body. It was inhaled through the nostrils."
"Are you saying it's violet pollen?" I recalled the scent I'd detected at the crime scene and remembered smelling a similar fragrance when I discovered Gan Qianlu's body.
"You mean this scent is also a key clue?"
"It's very likely. But I suspect the killer left it deliberately. I wonder what their intention is."
"I'll go investigate. I'll leave the rest to you!" Zhang Keying said as she left. Although she was a forensic investigator, I believed this task wouldn't be difficult for her.
After all, if our Punish Evil team only had strong individual capabilities, we would have been obsolete long ago.
I asked Xie Chuchu to continue with the remaining work, while I returned to our lodging at the hotel. Liu Yuning was in a meeting with Xiao Yuande and others. Noticing my arrival, she asked about the autopsy. I explained. Liu Yuning said, "He Xin has already compiled Tada Shun's social connections here. It turns out he has no close relatives or friends here; he only dealt with clients."
"So, he still had a mistress? Did you investigate?"
"We did. He had a younger brother, but this person doesn't seem suspicious. If you still want to find him, feel free. I'll send you the address. Didn't you notice during the autopsy?"
If Liu Yuning hadn't mentioned it, I wouldn't have noticed the information. I didn't act immediately but thoroughly checked Tada Hiroshi's profile. This person was the opposite of his brother. He lacked artistic talent and was a fisherman working at the dock in Sahai Town.
Before the deceased's incident, he had spoken with Tada Shun once. I asked Liu Yuning, "How did he explain that phone record at the time?"
"He said he wanted to borrow money from his brother to buy a fishing boat."
"And then?"
"His brother refused, and they seemed to have argued. I was suspicious of him earlier. After all, if his brother died, as the younger brother, he would likely inherit some of Drago's assets. So we investigated his whereabouts, but it turned out he was working at the dock the entire night and had no time to commit the crime."
"His alibi is quite solid. You all continue your discussion; I'll go see him!"
I left the hotel and followed the address Liu Yuning gave me. I had intended to go see Tada Hiroshi alone, but then He Xin left the hotel and followed behind me.
"Why aren't you staying with them?" I asked.
"I prefer to go out for a walk. Staying in the hotel all day makes me feel cooped up!"
"Oh, haha, then let's go!"
Soon, we arrived at the dock where Tada Hiroshi worked. I recognized the burly man immediately. His pant legs were rolled up, his feet covered in dark hair, his hair disheveled and messy, his hands broad, his limbs well-developed, and his facial skin wrinkled. Although not young, compared to his brother, one was a refined scholar, and the other, a typical rough fellow.