The driver collapsed powerlessly onto the steering wheel, showing no signs of life.
Witnessing this scene, Gu Wenbin was so terrified that he slumped to the ground. What a coward this guy was! Zhao Simeng and I immediately became alert, realizing we had a case on our hands.
We went straight to the Chevrolet and opened the car door. To our surprise, blood gushed out as soon as the door was opened, staining both my clothes and Zhao Simeng's. Gu Wenbin, paralyzed with fear, kept retreating and dared not come closer.
Ignoring him, Zhao Simeng and I focused on removing the corpse from the driver's seat. Of course, we wore rubber gloves during the process. Luckily, Zhao Simeng had brought her forensic examination kit with her. I couldn't help but wonder why she even carried it while just coming downstairs—truly inseparable from her tools.
Once we laid the body flat on the ground, nearby residents, horrified at the sight of a bloodied and mangled corpse, screamed in terror. I noticed the victim's abdomen was particularly badly injured, with a large area of concentrated redness. As many bystanders began to call the police, I held up my badge and said, "We'll handle this. Please stay back and don't interfere!"
While waiting for backup, Zhao Simeng had already started examining the body.
I pulled Gu Wenbin aside and asked, "Is this your driver?"
"Yes, his name is Han Xingxian. He's been my driver for some time, but his death has nothing to do with me!"
"When did I ask if you had anything to do with his death?" I scolded him on purpose. He had looked down on me earlier, and now it was my turn.
"I really don't know anything, Officer He!" With someone dead, Gu Wenbin was anxious, and his previously arrogant attitude was completely gone.
"Can you tell me if Han Xingxian behaved oddly today or said anything unusual to you?"
"Well, he just drove me like usual. He's a quiet person, rarely speaking unless it's work-related. That's actually one of the reasons I like him."
"How long has he been with you?"
"About five years."
Five years? I thought about it, using my sharp observation skills to scrutinize Gu Wenbin's reactions. I concluded he wasn't lying and likely had nothing to do with the case. I told him to stay put and soon had an officer keep an eye on him.
I walked over to Zhao Simeng and asked, "Any findings?"
Having just examined the body with a forensic umbrella, she now placed a forensic pillow on the victim's body and used a listening rod on his abdomen.
I noticed a massive hole in Han Xingxian's stomach—it seemed to be the origin of the explosion. Blood was gushing out, and the internal organs in his abdomen were clearly visible. Several ribs were broken, likely caused by the explosion.
"The explosion shattered five of his ribs," she said. "The power of this explosive was terrifying!"
She extracted some residual liquid from the victim's abdomen, and I noticed something resembling pills among the residue.
"Are these pills he consumed before his death?" I asked.
"They seem to be. But how could pills explode?" Zhao Simeng questioned, puzzled.
I was just as confused—it didn't make sense. However, she continued to collect samples, struggling a bit in the process. She called Sima Chao, and when I asked why, she said that forensic experts were better at extracting materials on-site.
Sima Chao arrived quickly and asked how he could help. Zhao Simeng instructed him to extract the contents from the victim's abdomen. Seeing the corpse, Sima Chao was initially startled but soon regained his composure.
Using a reagent bottle and an extractor, he skillfully collected the materials.
"On-site evidence collection seems to be second nature for you forensic experts," remarked Zhao Simeng. "If we were in ancient times, coroners would have to use rice paper to absorb the residue slowly. Modern forensic techniques are truly impressive."
"Thank you, but I don't think my skills are even half as good as yours," Sima Chao replied humbly. Since being reprimanded by Zhao Simeng earlier, he had been very obedient—at least when his mentor, Dr. Huang, wasn't around.
After the materials were extracted, Zhao Simeng turned to me and said, "He Sheng, could you get me some supplies?"
"You're going to keep examining the body?"
"Yes. Please get me some white vinegar, realgar water, unripe apples, and mint."
"Got it." If Sima Chao hadn't needed to leave for other duties, I would've made him run the errand. Since she asked me, I had no choice but to agree. Still, I wondered aloud where to find realgar water.
"There's a paper goods store nearby that should have it," she explained. "The other items can be found at a grocery store."
I quickly left to gather the items. A short while later, I returned and handed her several bags. She thanked me and, to my surprise, Sima Chao was still there.
At this moment, Zhao Simeng started chewing on the apples. Watching her, Sima Chao asked incredulously, "How can you be in the mood to eat apples right now?"
Ignoring him, she spat out the chewed apple pulp into the victim's abdomen, then poured white vinegar over the body. She followed this by adding the realgar water and mint.
After completing these steps, we noticed some substance slowly oozing out of the victim's abdomen.
"What's that?" exclaimed Sima Chao.
"This is the nutritional liquid formed by the victim's recent meals," explained Zhao Simeng. "Extract it and analyze what he ate recently."
"Does this have anything to do with the case?"
"Yes. It seems he swallowed a pill that later exploded. The pill may have reacted with certain food components to cause the detonation."
"I see," I said skeptically. "Are there really pills that can explode?"
"I'm not certain, but the scene suggests there are," she replied. By this time, Sima Chao had finished collecting the sample.
"Is this enough?" he asked.
"Almost. The apple and realgar water helped liquefy the food residue instantly, while the mint and vinegar enhanced the effect," she explained.
"Impressive. I've learned something new—it seems coroners are truly incredible," Sima Chao praised.
"Not exactly," she replied. "If you hadn't extracted the liquid quickly, forcing it out wouldn't have been enough. Modern forensic science is extraordinary. If we relied solely on ancient techniques, why would we need modern forensics?"