Chapter 85: Hiring an Assistant

Chapter 85: Hiring an Assistant

Despite Jiang Yunxin's previous experience as a senior forensic doctor, she was not a frontline operative and thus had limited firsthand experience dealing with adversaries. Although she did go on field assignments, by the time she arrived, the cases were typically concluded, or if not, it was never her role as a forensic expert to confront criminals.

Hunched low, she approached the edge of the grass, wary of being discovered and keeping her distance. She found refuge behind a cluster of bushes, which, though not towering trees, had grown tall enough to conceal her crouched form. However, standing up would undoubtedly expose her.

Now, what should she do? Jiang Yunxin was uncertain, aware that Fang Mingyan was no ordinary passerby. His subordinates were skilled in martial arts, and although the law enforcement officers from the Criminal Justice Bureau might not be as proficient, they all had some level of physical prowess, as evidenced by their morning training routines.

Moreover, there was Long Qiao, who showed no signs of laziness or drowsiness. With his hands clasped behind his back, he stood by the lake, seemingly lost in contemplation about the profundities of life.

Just as Jiang Yunxin was racking her brain for a way to temporarily distract these individuals, Long Qiao suddenly turned around.

He slightly furrowed his brow, seemingly casting a glance in the direction where Jiang Yunxin was hiding. After a moment of deliberation, he said, "The lot of you."

The officers hurriedly responded.

Long Qiao said, "I'm here. Take a look around and see if there's anything unusual."

Actually, all the bailiffs found it rather peculiar.

The academy was eerily silent now, not even a cat's meow or a dog's bark could be heard. What could have caused this stillness?

Moreover, the area was exceptionally spacious. Apart from the flower clusters in the distance, there were no spots to conceal oneself. One could either hide beneath the water or stand openly on the grassland where everything around was visible at a glance. Any approaching individual would undoubtedly be noticed.

But Long Qiao was their leader, and whatever he said went.

Though the bailiffs were curious, they dared not argue and promptly dispersed, with Long Qiao adding, "Go further away and inspect carefully. Don't rush back. With me here, there won't be any issues."

Upon hearing this, everyone understood.

They had served together for so many years, and they possessed a certain level of unspoken understanding.

Long Qiao didn't care where they went or what they investigated; the crucial point was for them to move far away and not return hastily.

It seemed that someone was about to arrive, intriguing everyone, yet they remained silent and dispersed. Not only were they moving away, but they were also taking on the responsibility of patrolling the outskirts.

Sending them away indicated that Long Qiao's awaited guest was someone he wished to keep hidden from others, hence they patrolled further away. This way, if anyone from the Academy or the Law Enforcement Bureau appeared, they could give an early warning.

Crouching behind the bushes, Jiang Yunxin was racking her brain for a solution when she suddenly noticed the Law Enforcement Bureau members dispersing and moving off into the distance, gradually fading into the shadows.

That was peculiar. Where were they going?

Before Jiang Yunxin could figure it out, she saw Long Qiao gesturing by the lake.

Her first thought wasn't that she had been discovered but rather, who was he waving at? The direction of his gesture was right towards her, so reflexively, she glanced behind her, only to find no one there.

Long Qiao waved again. A non-martial artist like her was indeed slow on the uptake.

It dawned on Jiang Yunxin then – he was calling her. She had indeed been exposed.

She was quite a distance away, far enough that she couldn't even hear Long Qiao's conversation with the other officers. Despite this, she had still been detected. One had to admit, martial artists were not ordinary people.

Since she had been found out, there was no point in hiding anymore.

Jiang Yunxin held a favorable impression of Long Qiao, knowing he wouldn't do anything to harm her. Thus, she stood up and briskly walked over to him.

As they approached, Long Qiao smiled and said, "His Excellency predicted that you would come tonight. I thought you'd only arrive in the dead of night."

Jiang Yunxin was surprised. "He said that?"

"Indeed," Long Qiao replied. "He mentioned that you and Jing Fenghua are such close friends. With him in dire straits, how could you possibly sleep at night? A typical young girl might toss and turn, shedding a few tears if she couldn't sleep. But you're different. You're an undertaker. An undertaker wouldn't be content without examining the corpse in a murder case."

Jiang Yunxin nodded repeatedly.

She never imagined that Fang Mingyan would understand human nature so acutely.

It was indeed the case. Numerous witnesses had seen Jing Fenghua push Feng Li down. There were over ten of them, as they had been passing by from the other side when Jing Fenghua and Feng Li started fighting. Although they weren't very close, they still caught sight of the incident.

No matter how close Jiang Yunxin was to Jing Fenghua, she couldn't lie with her eyes wide open.

Regardless, as an undertaker, even an intern, she had to inspect the body.

What if Feng Li had some pre-existing condition that caused him to fall, and Jing Fenghua's push was merely an aid or a coincidence?

One must do one's best and leave the rest to fate.

First, he must do his utmost, only then can he accept the will of heaven.

Amidst the surprise, Jiang Yunxin was also deeply grateful.

Fang Mingyan had guessed that she would come to secretly inspect the body at night and left Long Qiao behind to assist her. This showed that he trusted her.

Regardless of whether he believed there were hidden circumstances behind the incident, he recognized her abilities and was willing to give her a chance.

At that moment, Jiang Yunxin said earnestly, "Lord is truly kind."

Long Qiao chuckled. "Of course, Lord is indeed a good lord, albeit a bit strict at times. You'll come to understand that gradually."

Jiang Yunxin nodded repeatedly and quickly walked over to Feng Li's side.

Feng Li's body remained as it was when he fell, untouched. After confirming his death, no one had dared to move him, awaiting the arrival of the coroner Feng Li had hired for an autopsy the following day.

Jiang Yunxin first examined the general condition of the corpse. Then, she asked Long Qiao, "Brother Long, can you accept that I might need to do something necessary but perhaps unpleasant?"

Long Qiao was momentarily taken aback. "What do you plan on doing? Dissecting the body?"

Long Qiao was skilled at making connections.

Jiang Yunxin declared, "I need to undress Feng Li."

The next moment, Long Qiao's face darkened.

"Why?" he asked. "Is his injury on his forehead? Can't we just look at the wound?"

Jiang Yunxin explained, "From the surface, it does seem like the injury is on his head. The wound matches the weapon, which is this stone. But how can we be sure there aren't other wounds on his body?"

Long Qiao was stumped.

Jiang Yunxin continued, "As forensic examiners, our first step when encountering a corpse is to determine the cause of death and all injuries present on the body."

"Even if an injury isn't fatal, such as wounds to vital areas like the head or chest, other minor wounds, like those on the arms or legs, can often be connected to the circumstances of the case. Do you understand?"

Long Qiao appeared to grasp the concept but not entirely.