Chapter Seventeen: Lin Yunshan!

“Oh my god.” Li Xingchen nearly jumped out of his skin. “Running around everywhere with a uterus in your arms? Isn’t that a bit much?”

I said, “But we can’t be certain yet.”

Just then, Xia Feng arrived, handing me a report. “Preliminary analysis suggests it’s secreted uterine mucus.”

“Do we have the DNA test results?” I asked.

Xia Feng shook his head. “Not yet, but it won’t be long.”

“Alright,” I replied. “Let us know as soon as you have anything.”

He nodded, glanced at the video feed, and asked, “Are you investigating this person?”

I nodded repeatedly.

“I’ve seen him before,” Xia Feng said. “When I was at work, I noticed him lingering outside the police station, but I didn’t think much of it at the time.”

“Really?” Li Hong’s interest was piqued. “Exactly where outside?”

“Next to the retail shop on the left,” Xia Feng replied.

Without another word, Li Hong dashed off, and I hurried after him.

But even after searching the area, we found no trace of the mysterious woman.

Li Hong sighed. “Too late again!”

I decided to buy a pack of cigarettes from the shop and casually asked the owner if he’d seen someone wrapped up tightly hanging around.

To my surprise, the owner said yes—the woman had come in, bought a zippered plastic bag, and left.

“She bought a plastic bag?” I frowned. What could she want that for?

“What, is she some kind of criminal?” the owner asked nervously.

“It’s possible,” I replied.

The owner grew alarmed. “Oh no, she’s not going to come after me, is she? I cursed at her just now.”

I asked, “Why did you curse at her?”

“She gave me a hundred and said to keep the change. I muttered under my breath about her putting on airs. Don’t know if she heard me.”

I scribbled down my number for him. “If you see her again, let me know immediately.”

He nodded vigorously. “Yes, of course. Don’t worry.”

Still puzzled, I returned just as Old Lin and the others were coming out.

They looked anxious, as if heading somewhere in a hurry. I quickly asked where they were off to.

Old Lin said Director Wang had called—another victim had been found in a residential basement, the scene gruesome, with the abdomen sliced open and the organs spilling out. We were to check if it was connected to our case.

“Hurry, get in the car!” Tang Jingjing said. “No time to talk. With my years of experience, the uterus was definitely removed. This is definitely related.”

“The victim is a man,” Old Lin interjected.

Tang Jingjing flushed. “Well, what if it’s a transgender person?”

I jumped in the car and explained about the suspect buying the plastic bag and the report made under the name of Song Yuanhai.

When I finished, Mouse’s hands shook so badly he nearly sideswiped another car.

Li Xingchen stammered, “Song Yuanhai, not at peace even in death, now seeking revenge on society?”

I said, “The caller was clearly a woman. The shop owner confirmed it. She’s impersonating Song Yuanhai.”

“Old Lin, why do you think she’d do that?” I asked.

Old Lin pondered a moment. “Perhaps to deliberately create confusion. She wants us to suspect something supernatural.”

“I agree,” I said with a faint smile.

“But what if it isn’t?” Tang Jingjing pressed, an excited glint in her eye. “Honestly, I’ve never seen a ghost since I was a child.”

We arrived at the crime scene quickly. Several officers were standing outside the residential gate, a pile of vomit beside them. Thankfully, it was working hours and not many onlookers had gathered.

Tang Jingjing, who knew them well, rushed up to ask an older officer, “Uncle Ma, what’s the situation inside?”

“Jingjing, you’re just in time. The chief says this case might be connected to the uterus case. You two should go in and take a look,” Uncle Ma replied, his face pallid—it seemed he’d already thrown up himself.

I nodded and entered the basement with Tang Jingjing and Old Lin. The space was cramped, so the others waited outside.

I cautioned Tang Jingjing, “It might be gruesome in there. If you feel sick, rush outside to throw up. Don’t contaminate the scene.”

She glared at me. “What’s that supposed to mean? You think women can’t handle it? I’m warning you, if you look down on me again, I’ll chop you up and feed you to the dogs!”

I managed a wry smile.

Even before we entered, a stifling stench hit us. Tang Jingjing’s brow furrowed deeply, her steps grew unsteady. I advised her again, but she ignored me.

At the door to the basement sat a video camera. For such brutal murder scenes, everything must be recorded, especially when people enter.

Making sure the camera was on, we approached the entrance. The moment we got close, Tang Jingjing spun and ran outside to vomit. Even I nearly lost control, but forced my eyes shut and tried to think of pleasant things to suppress the urge.

Old Lin’s face was ashen as he exhaled. “Such a vicious method!”

A body hung from the ceiling by a hook through the chest, like a slaughtered lamb. The abdomen had been ripped open, three or four meters of intestines trailed to the floor, still dripping blood. The abdominal cavity was hollow, several ribs broken.

On one wall, written in blood, were the words “Retribution.”

Beneath those words, a square altar stood with three bowls, each containing the victim’s heart, liver, and kidney.

I guessed the hanging body was now little more than an empty shell.

Faces with cold, mocking smiles were drawn in blood on all four walls—so many I wondered how one person could bleed so much.

Old Lin patted my shoulder meaningfully. “The Yu family truly has remarkable composure.”

I gave a bitter smile, not daring to admit how close I’d come to vomiting.

Once I’d composed myself, I left with Old Lin. Uncle Ma, the seasoned officer, saw I was unruffled and gave me a thumbs-up. “Kid, impressive.”

“Did you take photos of the scene?” I asked.

“Yes, but the photographer is already seeing a psychologist—he’s new at this.” Uncle Ma smiled ruefully.

“Alright, I’ll start the autopsy—”

I was cut off by the sound of the officers all gasping in unison.

I fetched the forensic kit from the car. Li Xingchen warned me to wash my hands ten times with detergent afterward or never touch him again.

After lowering the body and clearing away the small intestine, I noticed something odd. The lowest two ribs had been broken for some time, and the small intestine had been cut. Even stranger, a section of intestine had been bound to the broken ribs with a medical restraint.

It struck me that binding the intestine there was surely to make space in the abdomen.

Something must have been placed inside the victim’s abdominal cavity!

I quickly inspected the incision and was startled to find old suture marks.

I racked my brain—what kind of surgery would require the abdomen to be completely opened like that? I couldn’t think of any.

Old Lin patted my shoulder and spoke suddenly, “Remember what Lin Yunshan asked his daughter?”

I nodded, my face growing grimmer.

Lin Yunshan had once asked if a man could get pregnant. His daughter said yes, but only if a woman’s uterus was transplanted.

I gritted my teeth. “Old Lin, you mean…”

He nodded, signaling for me to continue.

Now that I had a direction, I opened up the abdominal cavity for a closer look.

Inside, it was empty but filled with sticky secretions—clearly uterine mucus.

I gasped, stepped back. Old Lin gestured for me to leave, and I followed. He handed me a cigarette; I took a few drags and asked, “Old Lin, are you sure the victim is Lin Yunshan?”

He nodded. “No doubt. I’ve studied his file—he has a mole on his left arm.”

I nodded, but inside I was terrified. Lin Yunshan’s abdomen had indeed contained a uterus. The intestine was tied to the ribs and the bones broken, all to make room for the uterine implant!