Gangye Yoshiko notified Beichuan Si to visit the police station again, saying there were new results in the corpse identification.
However, Shinkai Mirai, who was accompanying Beichuan Si, was left in the police station's front hall by Gangye Yoshiko, saying there were things not suitable for a girl to see.
Despite her strong protests, Shinkai Mirai could not oppose Gangye Yoshiko's arrangements.
"Logically, I should be an external person, and information like this, which is only for internal personnel, should not be disclosed to me."
"What nonsense about internal and external personnel! Whenever there's a homicide, you're always at the scene. Do you think you can still remain uninvolved?" Gangye Yoshiko took a harsh puff of her cigarette and, after satisfying her craving, tossed the butt into the trash can before walking with Beichuan Si down the corridor.
Beichuan Si glanced sideways at Gangye Yoshiko's expression but said nothing, following behind her.
As they walked, Gangye Yoshiko spoke,
"The deceased is named Hoshino Nana, who happens to be a student at your Kyubei High. I assume you know that. But about the autopsy results and the things involved afterward, I think you don't know."
"We found hair of the same thickness on Hoshino Nana and a few other corpses. After identification by the forensic department, these hairs all belong to a fugitive from ten years ago."
"It seems Ishikawa Kaoru suffers greatly from hair loss," Beichuan Si rarely joked.
"Stop your nonsense!" Gangye Yoshiko snapped without a trace of a lady-like demeanor.
"The fugitive's name is Ishikawa Kaoru, residing in Yashan City, Iwate Prefecture. Ten years ago, he killed his parents, stole all the savings, and fled in fear of punishment."
"Afterward, colleagues in Yashan City unearthed the head and legs of neighbor Sanki Youko around Ishikawa's house, her body chopped into pieces. Around the same time, someone found the similarly dismembered body of Takahashi Sayori in an abandoned construction site not far from his home."
"These cases have significant similarities to the current ones." Gangye Yoshiko's eyes were deep, and her voice was serious, "That is, they all lack arms."
"The case caused an uproar across Yashan City, as an educated high school student could murder his parents and classmates. Executioner, murderer, butcher... any title is not too much for this heinous criminal."
Gangye Yoshiko's voice was haunting, as if attempting to pierce through time to see the truth then, coupled with her cold words that sent chills down one's spine.
"The motive for Ishikawa Kaoru's crime is still unknown, but as he has been on the run for ten years, whether these recent cases are a copycat or the culprit himself, we temporarily cannot know. What we can definitely say is, the murderer is not alone; someone is assisting him, otherwise, Ishikawa Kaoru could not have evaded capture for so long."
"So—" Gangye Yoshiko stopped in front of the autopsy room, suddenly turned to Beichuan Si, and sneered self-deprecatingly,
"What do you think? Am I a strange cop for believing that the key to solving this case lies with a kid like you?"
Holding expectations for a high school student was indeed strange.
But Gangye Yoshiko had an inexplicable feeling that Beichuan Si was the key to solving this case.
"That only means your intuition is sharp," Beichuan Si spoke calmly.
"Quite the confidence you have there." After teasing Beichuan Si, Gangye Yoshiko felt like taking out a cigarette again but remembered the rules of the autopsy room and resignedly extinguished the flame, popping a piece of gum in her mouth, "Go on in, just letting you know, I don't particularly like the person inside."
As they pushed open the door to the autopsy room, a chill emanated from within.
The brightness of the autopsy room was appropriate, with an autopsy table in the center, under a strong light, and a mobile small table set with various dissecting tools beside it.
"Quite the rare guest we have here. Isn't it Inspector Gangye? So, are you here to understand the corpse's details further? But I'm afraid you're out of luck. You should have received the autopsy report by now; everything to know is on that."
A female voice drifted over.
"I only brought over that kid you're interested in, Sakura," Gangye Yoshiko scratched her head, squinting and calling inside.
"Oh?!" The female voice suddenly brimmed with interest.
Under the gazes of Beichuan Si and Gangye Yoshiko, a bespectacled woman slowly crawled out from under the autopsy table.
If a normal person were present, they might find her inexplicable interest frightening and alarming.
"How many times have I told you not to sleep under the autopsy table, Sakura?" Gangye Yoshiko sighed.
The opponent's autopsy skills were superb, yet her peculiar hobbies made Gangye Yoshiko unable to associate well with her.
Indeed, this person had an exceptionally odd hobby. She particularly enjoyed sleeping on or under the autopsy table after an autopsy or forensic examination.
Occasionally, she even invited colleagues to tie her to the autopsy table with bizarre tools for fun.
Sakurazaka Yuuki herself said it was her way of experiencing a corpse's specific manner of death.
This macabre hobby made Gangye Yoshiko keep her distance, and at times, Gangye Yoshiko even wondered if this person really had a special fascination with corpses.
"It's just trifles; I clean up afterward. Could it be this is the unique Beichuan Si you often speak of, Liangzi?"
Sakurazaka Yuuki pushed her glasses up. Finally, she revealed her face to Beichuan Si.
She wore a white lab coat, a pair of glasses with a faint red frame resting on her high nose bridge, with shrewd eyes glinting behind the lenses.
Her wavy hair cascaded freely, exuding a carefree and unrestrained demeanor.
Despite being a remarkable woman, her only flaw was her height, and the severe dark circles around her eyes suggested she hadn't slept well in a while.
With a bright smile, she extended her hand to Beichuan Si, enthusiastically saying,
"Hello, Mr. Beichuan. I am Sakurazaka Yuuki, as you see, kind of this autopsy room's person in charge."
"Hello." Her eager expression left Beichuan Si somewhat bewildered, but he reached out to shake her hand nonetheless.
After introductions, Sakurazaka Yuuki swiftly revealed her true nature, rubbing her hands and chuckling slyly,
"Mr. Beichuan, I often hear Inspector Gangye mention your deeds lately. They say... you're always more or less at the crime scenes, or nearby when crimes occur. Is that right?"
"..." Beichuan Si.
Beichuan Si didn't answer Sakurazaka Yuuki; he merely raised an eyebrow, thoughtfully observing the base of her palm.
There lay a light black birthmark, indistinct under the light.
"Ah? You noticed it? Truly——"
Sakurazaka Yuuki instinctively tugged on her sleeves, a bit embarrassed,
"My palm's birthmark is quite severe, so I usually keep my hands hidden under my sleeves."
"I don't mind that," Beichuan Si nonchalantly waved his hand, appearing calm.
Whether Beichuan Si truly didn't care or not, Sakurazaka Yuuki laughed heartily and continued, "Then, could I ask Mr. Beichuan to answer my earlier question? Why can you always arrive at, or have already reached, the crime scenes?"
"I'm really curious about that."
Her eyes fixed on Beichuan Si, hoping he would unravel the mystery for her.