Case 1: Dismemberment

Chapter 1

“That… man… was probably about half a head taller than me. His chin was short, seemed to have a double chin, high cheekbones. He wore an all-black hat, just a regular baseball cap. Uh, I… I can’t remember.”

“Don’t be afraid. Take your time. About his appearance, what else do you remember?”

“…His eyes looked fierce, and his complexion was a bit dark. I… I really don’t remember; I was scared silly at that time… so much blood…”

“What other physical features did he have?”

“His neck seemed a bit short and thick, and he had a slight hunch…”

“Did he have a long beard?”

“Wu… a beard… it seemed like he had a beard, and then it seemed like he didn’t. I can’t really remember… I really can’t remember.”

The eyewitness is a fifteen-year-old girl with big watery eyes. She recently arrived in the city, still growing. She didn’t have a formal employment contract, she’s working at a hair salon run by people from her hometown, helping out – considered to be illegal child labor. She had been frightened by the previous incident, weeping endlessly, and only managed to tell her story in bits and pieces with the comfort of the police.

The entire crime occurred yesterday morning, within five minutes. At that time, she was hiding under the hair washing sink, frightened by the blood and the dead person. She only remembers that the man who committed the crime had a face that was detestable.

Since the incident, that face has been imprinted in her mind, unforgettable. All the features are clearly there, but when she tries to recall them, there are only fragments.

“If we draw it, would you be able to recognize it?”

The girl hesitated and nodded while wiping away tears, looking at the person drawing across from her. The man in the interrogation room sat with his legs crossed, using a pencil to sketch on a piece of paper.

He was a young man in his twenties, currently bowing his head with a focused expression. From this angle, his facial features were deep-set, with a high nose bridge, and his face appeared clean. Despite being in a sitting position, it was still apparent that he was tall, with long legs. The hand holding the brush had distinct joints, moving swiftly. Although it seemed carefree, he had strong control over the strokes. Occasionally, the second joint of his pinky finger would trace over the pencil, creating perfectly nuanced shading. In no time, the outline of a figure took shape…

Just seven hours ago, at midnight, a vicious murder occurred in a small hair salon in the western part of the city, as it was preparing to close. A short, stout man suddenly rushed in and stabbed the salon’s owner several times, killing her.

The suspect took the murder weapon and left, leaving no hair behind, only a half-blood-colored footprint. Rain had washed away any other traces. The hairwashing girl in the salon was the eyewitness, but this girl was terrified, providing very limited information. The autopsy revealed multiple stab wounds to the abdomen, injuring the liver. Excessive bleeding led to immediate death, and apart from that, there wasn’t much information.

The suspect wasn’t after money, as all the cash in the shop remained untouched. The victim’s social relationships seemed simple at first glance, but upon closer inspection, they turned out to be quite complex. Sorting this out would take a significant amount of time. The only reliable evidence they had was the girl who couldn’t articulate much and a video captured by a camera at the salon’s entrance.

However, the video was too blurry, showing only the vague side profile of a man wearing a hat. The perpetrator briefly turned his head towards the camera, revealing a blurry, moving black-and-white image.

As Tian Ming, the Commissioner detective responsible for solving this case, received these materials, he could only do his best with what he had. He immediately sought out Wang Rui, the person in charge of the police department’s Imaging Division. Wang Rui had been specially recruited into the police force and excelled in simulating facial images.

Wang Rui’s independent office was as quiet as an art studio, with walls covered in various shoulder-length sketches or 3D models—men, women, old, and even children. These images depicted either heinous criminals, key figures in cases, or long-missing individuals. The graphics covered every inch of the room, making Tian Ming feel like he was going mad under the scrutiny of countless eyes. He quickly lowered his eyelids and briefed Wang Rui on the basic situation.

Wang Rui looked at what he handed over, feeling helpless. “Team Tian, aren’t you asking for the impossible? With just these things, even if you kill me, I can’t simulate anything.”

Tian Ming knew that his information was indeed lacking, but he insisted, “Why can’t you simulate it? We have surveillance footage and a detailed description from an eyewitness. Isn’t that enough?”

“For a 3D simulation, I need data from the front, and the eyewitness needs to provide detailed descriptions,” Wang Rui shrugged, indicating his helplessness. “There’s too little information. A clever woman can’t cook without rice. My skills are not enough, and I can’t imagine creating something random for you. If you can’t catch the person later, don’t blame me.”

Just when the investigation reached a deadlock, Commissioner Gu, who came to check on the progress, offered advice with a light tone, “Song Wen just submitted the case closing report from the previous case. He’s free now. How about you go find him for help?”

Wang Rui didn’t mind the challenge, “Yeah, Captain Song is definitely capable. He’s much more skilled than I am.”

Help? Tian Ming felt a surge of resentment in his chest. He glared at Wang Rui, “Little brother, what’s the use of our city bureau then? We might as well merge your salary with Song Wen’s.”

Wang Rui pleaded, “Team Tian, I sit here for eight hours a day, dedicated to this. Captain Song is a busy man; can he do that? Ah, if you find me troublesome, don’t come looking for me next time.”

Fine, they were all big shots. Tian Ming, unable to offend anyone, helplessly left the room with his notebook.

Just hearing the name Song Wen made him feel indignant.

The Criminal Investigation Division of the Nancheng City Bureau had three squads in total. The first squad was led by Captain Song Wen, the second squad by Captain Tian Ming, and the third squad by Captain Cheng Mo. While they were colleagues on the surface, there was intense competition among them internally. The reason was that the position of the head of the division was currently vacant, and whoever performed well might secure that position. Among these three individuals, Captain Cheng Mo was smooth and laid-back, and due to his older age, he didn’t seem too interested in competing. The main competition occurred between Captain Tian Ming and Captain Song Wen.
*For readers who read the previous translation, Nancheng is South City. I decided to go with the pinyin.

Tian Ming has a characteristic – he is competitive and likes to excel in everything. His name, Tian Ming, means “startling the world with one’s achievements,” and he has lived up to expectations from a young age, excelling in various aspects. Even in the police academy, he was a top student. When Song Wen was recently promoted to squad leader, Tian Ming couldn’t help but compare himself to Song Wen – Tian Ming, 32 years old, with ten years of work experience, in the prime of his life, rich in experience, solving major cases, twice commended, and three consecutive years with the highest case-solving rate in the city bureau; Song Wen, 25 years old, with two and a half years of work experience, newly emerged, and promoted to the position of Criminal Investigation Division captain.

Anyone with discerning eyes could tell who was more outstanding.

Tian Ming originally thought he could easily suppress the young lad. However, he didn’t expect that in last year’s evaluation, Song Wen surpassed him. Not only did Song Wen have a 6.5% higher case-solving rate, but he also outperformed Tian Ming significantly in the year-end personal assessment.

What’s even more infuriating is that Song Wen performed worse than him in the preparatory tests. Somehow, during the formal assessments, whether in shooting or physical combat, Song Wen scored higher than him. Additionally, Song Wen possessed the unique skill of drawing suspect portraits that even the specially trained artist Wang Rui in the police station couldn’t match. Images that Wang Rui couldn’t produce, Song Wen effortlessly captured.

In the face of this, Tian Ming could only express the deep sorrow, since Yu was born, why was Liang also born.
‘Ji Sheng Yu, He Sheng Liang’ basically is used to describe a person’s despair and frustrations. During the three kingdoms, in the Wu State, there was a general named Zhou Yu who was extremely talented. In the historical based novel by Lu Guangzhong., Zhou Yu was constantly outwitted by Zhuge Liang, and he was described by Lu Guangzhong to quote the lines ‘chang tian ah chang tian, ji sheng yu, he sheng liang?’ (Heaven oh heaven, since there’s me, why is there Zhuge Liang?) TN: Picked this up from the previous translator’s reference.

He could endure being belittled on ordinary days, but now, asking him to seek help from Song Wen? It was as if he was asking him to write his surname backward!

Despite his anger, half an hour later, Tian Ming obediently went to Song Wen’s desk. He smiled calmly and said, “Captain Song, can you help us out? We’ve encountered a problem in our squad, and we need you to draw a portrait for us.”

The memories of eyewitnesses and scene clues become increasingly difficult to reconstruct as time passes. Tian Ming knew in his heart that Commissioner Gu’s suggestion was correct. Confirming the suspect’s portrait as soon as possible would be a great help in solving the case. For the sake of the case, a real man could endure humiliation and compromise.

Now, in the interrogation room, three people were sitting – one eyewitness and two criminal investigation squad leaders. The girl had already said everything she needed to say and was silently sobbing. Tian Ming also remained silent for a while. In the cramped interrogation room, only the sound of Song Wen’s pen and paper rubbing against each other could be heard.

Tian Ming sat nervously at the table, watching Song Wen’s pen move swiftly. Occasionally, Song Wen would pause, glance at the surveillance footage on the notebook next to him, and continue drawing.

Tian Ming rubbed his eyes, wanting to discern some useful information, but the footage was pixelated. Even the location of the eyes was unclear, let alone facial features. Watching Song Wen draw next to him, Tian Ming couldn’t help but wonder if this guy was trying to deceive him by drawing randomly.

With this thought in mind, Tian Ming began to regret it a bit. He shouldn’t have blindly followed Commissioner Gu’s advice. What if this guy named Song deceived him by drawing carelessly, making it even harder to catch the suspect, or worse, if his efforts turned out to be useless? Just as he was thinking this, Song Wen stopped his pen, flicked away pencil shavings, and asked the girl, “What part doesn’t resemble him?”

The pencil portrait appeared somewhat unrestrained, not as detailed as one drawn by an art student, and it didn’t look like a masterpiece of a master artist or a formal academy-style drawing. However, upon closer inspection, the features were distinct, outlined with just enough strokes. The facial features were vivid, and the cold gaze in the eyes seemed to stare directly at the viewer.

The girl took a glance and burst into tears again, pointing at the drawing, “It’s him, too much like him. This is the person who killed Sister Yun.” The drawing might not be outstanding, but it was remarkably vivid, instantly recalling the bloodshed from a few hours ago. It was this face that haunted her nightmares.

Song Wen put down the drawing and stood up, saying, “My part here is done.” The dim light in the interrogation room made it difficult to see clearly, but as Song Wen raised his head, the girl could finally make out his features. She felt that this person, lifting his head now, had small but young and heroic eyes, a unique youthful arrogance. He seemed even more handsome than when he was looking down earlier. Unable to stop her tears, she glanced at him a few more times.

Tian Ming finally felt relieved, a bit ashamed of his petty thoughts. He looked at the drawing, then at the surveillance footage and the witness’s description. He couldn’t help but marvel, “Thanks, Captain Song. But, how did you… draw this?”

“Talent,” Song Wen raised an eyebrow and uttered two words, without a hint of modesty in his tone.

Tian Ming’s face couldn’t hold back a moment of embarrassment, almost spitting out old blood. At this moment, he really wanted to give himself a slap. What was he thinking, blindly lamenting for no reason?

Fortunately, Song Wen didn’t mind whether he could swallow his pride. Once the door closed, Song Wen left without looking back.

A person’s facial features are composed of bones, flesh, and skin. Each piece of bone grows with age, and the movement of muscles changes due to various external and internal factors. These changes are not without rules. Some experienced old detectives can recognize a person’s grown-up appearance based on a childhood photo, applying this principle.

In modern criminal investigations, the police increasingly rely on rapidly advancing scientific technologies such as DNA testing and various surveillance videos. Traditional skills like portrait drawing are no longer as valued as before. Take Wang Rui, for example. Although he is responsible for portraits tracing, he mainly works in the Imaging Division, using a computer instead of a brush and employing electronic databases and 3D modeling to create facial features that can be easily modified. This approach significantly saves time.

But Song Wen felt that, as a police captain, he needed a unique skill. He didn’t think forensic simulated sketches would become outdated. Moreover, he enjoyed the feeling of probing into people’s inner thoughts through the portrayal of facial features. Although images created in 3D are faster, they lack a soul and can only be used as a reference.

Song Wen liked studying people’s faces. With millions of people, there are millions of faces, just like no two leaves are exactly the same. Even identical twins have differences in their appearance. A person’s facial features, like fingerprints and DNA, are unique information for each individual. Moreover, appearance is closely linked to one’s growth experiences and lifestyle habits. It can be said that all the joys and sorrows of life are embedded in it.

Just now, the girl’s words, though not detailed, revealed important features. A retraced chin indicates possible long-term mouth breathing, leading to a larger nose and deeper nasolabial folds. Underdeveloped development in the upper face would cause prominent cheekbones and a hunched posture would result in a double chin and a sordid neck…

These features, like a series of dominoes, enhance the characteristics of the facial features and interact with each other. Although the video was blurry, it provided a crucial point—the changes in facial shadows. Within those mosaics, a wealth of information was hidden.

Despite not having formal training, Song Wen possessed an observation ability that few could match. In his mind, the bones of the face moved and assembled like a puzzle, allowing him to draw a similar suspect portrait. Although everything seemed miraculous, it was, in fact, the result of intelligence, experience, and repeated practice in observation. It could be called a talent, but Song Wen couldn’t be bothered to explain this to others.

After about half an hour, a young policeman from the second team approached and said, “Captain Song, Captain Tian asked me to thank you again. After showing the sketch to the deceased’s mother, she recognized it as the person her daughter had been engaged to before. Later, the victim insisted on calling off the engagement, started dating a boyfriend, and blocked the suspect’s contact information. That’s when…”

Song Wen nodded, “As long as you found him, that’s good.”

TN:
If you know me then you know I’ve gotta slip in the recommendations and lecture notes haha.

What Song Wen does is Forensic Sketching – Facial sketches drawn by forensic artists based on the description provided by a witness. What Wang Rui does in the Imaging Division is Composite Sketching – Facial sketches created using software kits which allow an operator to select various facial components. Everything is basically there, eyes, nose, mouth, basic structures etc. and what the artist does is just input the data and the image is generated. Kind of like AI Generated art you see going around these days.

There’s a Chinese show called Under The Skin which focuses on Forensic Art with Portrait Sketching as the main focal point. It’s about a genius art student using his talent to simulate portraits of criminals and solve cases hand in hand with the police.It also has Bromance! And hints of GL! The best of all worlds. And for Criminal Investigation lovers, you’re going to enjoy the cases and delve into the minds of the suspects and perpetrators. There’s a bunch of other criminal investigation techniques there too. It really has everything and more.It’s not a masterpiece but it’s still worth watching.

After months of putting it off while giving the previous translator a chance to see if they’re going to continue with this story, I’ve decided to take up the mantle on behalf of those who requested I pick up this story. I had said if it’s not being actively translated by December, I would pick it up. It’s the second novel from the same author I’m picking up. The other one is Criminal Investigation Notes which is set in the same universe as this one. I hope you enjoy this one as much as you enjoyed the other one. The reason I started from the 1st chapter is because I’m not confident in my ability to maintain the quality of translation as the other translators as I am a Machine Translator. So my output is definitely going to have some discrepancies and won’t fully relay the author’s intention or writing style. And I don’t want the noticeable shift in the translation quality to be off-putting haha. So isn’t it better to just read this mediocrity from the start instead of coming in with lofty expectations only to be disappointed? If you spot any mistakes, especially in terms of grammar, random name and pronoun changes(i tend to miss a lot of these while editing or I forget which name I used for a minor character in one chapter and end up using a variation of it in the next) kindly inform me in the comments and I’ll fix it. Happy reading, well not happy as this isn’t exactly a joyful novel so enjoyable reading coz if you’re here it must mean you enjoy reading about people being butchered and scattered which is honestly sick. Evaluate yourselves!

UPDATES WILL BE ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS! There are 9 cases with varying number of chapters and Extras (Check Fiction Page for the breakdown). This means I’ll be going MIA after I’m done uploading a case to work on the next case and then be back after I’m done and just post everything at once with uploads spread over a couple of days. Because I’m not sure how often I’ll be able to update, I’ve decided to use this approach so that the readers won’t be left in parking while waiting for single updates and get frustrated from cliff-hangers and slow updates.

PS. THE NOVEL IS STILL UP FOR PICK UP. IF ANY TRANSLATOR WOULD LIKE TO PICK THIS UP WHILE I’M WORKING ON IT PLEASE DON’T HESITATE. I’M DOING THIS MOSTLY BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE WHO ASKED ME AND I’M NOT SURE IF I’LL BE ABLE TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE UPDATES. SO IF YOU CAN TAKE THIS UP AS A MAIN PROJECT WITH MORE CONSISTENT AND HIGHER QUALITY UPDATES PLEASE DO!

F*ck that was a long TN!