Chapter 856 The Distance of the Nail

I had Xie Chuchu rotate the inspection umbrella for me, Zhang Keying used the UV light, and Ling Xiaotao handed me the hemostatic forceps. After I separated the deceased's latissimus dorsi, levator scapulae, and rhomboid muscles from his back, I found some barely perceptible bruises between the fifth and sixth ribs. These were caused by the accumulation of clotted blood within the bones due to repeated blows. After I cleared all the clotted blood, I could clearly see the internal details of the deceased. I then used a probe to delve into the deceased's liver and other organs.

When the examination was over, I found no signs of disease in the deceased's body. In fact, his body was in pretty good condition. Even with AIDS, if he hadn't been beaten to death, he probably could have lived for some time. AIDS has a latency period and doesn't usually cause immediate illness; it gradually destroys the patient's immune system, leading many people to be unaware of their infection at first.

Could it be that the killer's motive was related to the victim's illness?

As I pondered this, I left the remaining work to Ling Xiaotao and the others and walked towards the door of the morgue. After coming out, I called the investigators to inquire about the progress of their investigation. They all informed me that the victim's identity had been confirmed as Zhang Yangcheng. Strangely, this person lived in a residential area near the crime scene, suggesting the killer had dumped the body nearby.

Theoretically, a body dumper wouldn't choose a location very close to the deceased's residence. They would usually opt for remote areas or places within a comfortable psychological distance. This perpetrator, however, did the opposite, leaving the body not far from the victim's home.

This would make it much easier for us to confirm his identity and find witnesses.

However, the investigators stated that they hadn't found any eyewitnesses yet. They were searching for surveillance footage in the vicinity of the residential area and had also visited Zhang Yangcheng's home. The man was single.

I approached He Xin, who quickly printed out a file on Zhang Yangcheng for me: "Zhang Yangcheng, 39 years old, from Jianhua Town, Guangming City. Unmarried. He worked at a bar and had a record of receiving AIDS treatment at the hospital. According to the records, he should have been diagnosed with AIDS three months ago."

"Ask the investigators to check with the hospital as well!" I instructed. He Xin made a call to assign the task. I scratched my head as, at that moment, a woman claiming to be Zhang Yangcheng's sister arrived at the provincial department.

She had rushed back as soon as she learned of her brother's death. She had been in Hainan and hadn't returned to Guangdong for a long time. This time, however, she had no choice but to come back.

After she confirmed that the body was Zhang Yangcheng's and we had collected DNA for verification, she met me alone in the interrogation room.

"Did you see Zhang Yangcheng before his incident?"

"No. Since I got married and moved to Hainan, I've rarely come back. I used to visit, but only when my parents were alive. After that, I hardly returned to Guangdong because my health wasn't very good, and I could only stay in Hainan where the weather was more suitable for me."

"Did he call you these past few days?"

"No, our relationship was average, and everyone is busy with their own lives and work now. How could we have time to contact each other? I've rarely come back even for Chinese New Year over the years, and he rarely visited me either."

"How long has it been since you last met?"

"About two years."

I believed Zhang Yangcheng's sister wasn't lying. If they had no contact, she probably wouldn't have been able to say this. I asked her about Zhang Yangcheng's work and character. Zhang Yangcheng's sister told me, "I actually don't really like him working in a bar because that kind of place is quite complicated. But he wouldn't listen to me when our parents were alive, and now that they're gone, it's even less likely. Besides, he likes being a bartender, so I just let him be."

I didn't ask any further questions, feeling that their relationship was very distant. Of course, I would have someone verify it in case this woman was deliberately saying that. Meanwhile, the autopsy report came in, and I reviewed it. The general situation was similar to my earlier examination. The technical police were cooperating with the investigators to review surveillance footage, and investigations into mobile phone signals and driving recorders were also underway.

I hoped we could quickly reconstruct Zhang Yangcheng's movements before his murder. When the investigators returned, we held a case discussion meeting.

The investigators presented their findings.

"We didn't see him leaving the residential area on camera. It's estimated that he was packed up and dumped by the killer. His home showed clear bloodstains, footprints, hairs, and fingerprints, all belonging to Zhang Yangcheng. The only confirmed locations for the abuse and murder are Zhang Yangcheng's home. Strangely, the killer left no traces at all. We've used biological sampling tools and wide-range height gauges, but they only found traces of the victim."

Gao Mingqiang continued, "I was also at the scene and inspected Zhang Yangcheng's room. There were marks on the wall from chains. A clear human silhouette could be seen there. When we first saw the shape, several of us were surprised. Upon closer inspection and forensic examination, we found some nails remaining on the wall. But looking at the autopsy report, it doesn't seem to mention any such injuries?"

"The nails were embedded within the human body. How could there be no corresponding wounds? Could it be that besides Zhang Yangcheng, there was another victim here?" I asked, looking at the crime scene photos, perplexed.

"We considered that possibility at the time, but there were no signs of anyone else living in Zhang Yangcheng's home. This guy was quite depraved; his cabinets were full of... inflatable dolls... and penis pumps, as well as adult films. We were very careful during our inspection because he had AIDS, and we were afraid of getting infected."

"No signs of anyone else living there?" I muttered, wondering if the person was temporarily held hostage by the killer and then both were subjected to inhumane treatment by the killer. But if there was another person, it's impossible to only have Zhang Yangcheng's traces. Or perhaps the nails were hammered into the wall by the killer after the murder?

Considering current technological advancements, it's impossible for another person to have entered the crime scene without leaving any trace. But this logic is the same as the killer leaving no trace of themselves. It's strange; it's as if Zhang Yangcheng abused himself to death and then dumped his own body.

I shook my head. Even if he committed suicide and someone came to collect the body, that person would have left traces.

I felt it was time for me to return to the crime scene and conduct a personal inspection.