Chapter 16

The entire dormitory building at Nancheng University underwent renovations two years ago. Currently, each dormitory accommodates four people, with a computer desk and cabinet under each bed, and sleeping quarters on the upper bunk. On the side of the dormitory, there is a small bathroom for basic needs but no shower facilities. Following Lin Xiuran, Song Wen tiptoed in. The dormitory was already in chaos, with bedding and various books and items scattered on the floor.

On the south side of the bedroom, there were two young female corpses dressed only in pajamas. One of them curled up in pain, huddled in the corner. This girl wore a light pink lace nightgown, and although her face looked somewhat distorted, her fair skin was still discernible.

The other corpse, not far from her, seemed to have rolled down with a blanket. This girl had long curly hair, a slender figure, and dark red nail polish on her hands. Due to extreme pain before death, she and the blanket were almost entwined. Both her hands and feet were embedded in the blanket, and now rigor mortis had set in. A forensic expert was trying to separate her from the blanket.

These two girls were just over twenty years old, at the prime of their lives. However, on this fateful night, they met their tragic end in their own dormitory. Despite Song Wen having become accustomed to life and death during his years of work, witnessing such a scene still left him feeling somewhat helpless.

Clearly, both had undergone some struggle before their deaths. Their faces looked ghastly, akin to vengeful spirits. Due to poisoning, their lip colors were abnormal, and there were traces of vomit on the floor. It had also caused incontinence, spreading a pungent odor throughout the dormitory.

Lin Xiuran had already conducted a preliminary examination of the bodies. At this moment, evidence was being photographed, and fingerprints were being collected. To avoid disturbing their work, Lin Xiuran pulled Song Wen out into the corridor, explaining, “The identities of these two deceased have been confirmed. They were both fourth-year students majoring in Civil Engineering. The one curled up is Dong Fang, and the one holding the blanket is Ma Aijing. It appears to be acute poisoning, and from the onset to death, it didn’t exceed an hour and a half.”

“Fourth year, Civil Engineering. They should be preparing for their graduation thesis, defense, and job hunting at this time, right?” Song Wen asked, “Has the cause of death been determined?”

Lin Xiuran said, “They suffered from acute poisoning, causing difficulty breathing and death due to cardiopulmonary failure. We just collected some samples, and further autopsy is required.” After a moment of thought, he added, “Currently, it seems that other students in the dormitory have not shown any reaction. It’s likely a poisoning incident specifically targeted at this dormitory. The poison appears to be potassium cyanide.”

“Where did the poison come from?” Song Wen shook his gloves and put them on. “Isn’t this poison known for being fast-acting with minimal pain?” These two girls had obviously suffered tremendously before their deaths.

“The dose might not be large, just a trace, but it’s sufficient to be lethal.” Lin Xiuran explained, “After poisoning, the onset time and state primarily depend on blood concentration…”

While the two were talking, a strong light suddenly shot in from outside, cutting through the darkness and directly into Song Wen’s eyes. Lin Xiuran was also blinded by the light, turning his head to avoid it. Song Wen opened his five fingers to shield his eyes and walked to the edge of the corridor, glancing outside. He saw an Audi slowly coming to a stop at the entrance of the dormitory building.

Song Wen immediately recalled a saying: there are two types of car headlights in the world, one is other car headlights, and the other is Audi headlights. He was about to ask which inconsiderate leader drove over, thinking the case wasn’t eye-catching enough. Then he saw Lu Siyu stepping out of the car…

The dark clouds in the sky had not yet dispersed, but the wind had disappeared, leaving the air still and oppressive, as if rain could fall at any moment. In the female dormitory building at 2 a.m., teachers were gradually comforting students, instructing them to turn off the lights and go to sleep, prohibiting them from going outside.

Below the dormitory building, Lu Siyu locked his Audi, placed the car keys in his pocket, and walked in from the entrance.

Song Wen was just dazzled by the car, saying, “Little ancestor, do you know investigations should be low-key? Why make such a spectacle? Are you planning to bring a Ferrari next time?”

Lu Siyu, completely concealing the hardships of the previous night, and showing no signs of sleep deprivation, was currently at the most energetic and alert state under the influence of high-dose painkillers. Lu Siyu didn’t mention anything about last night, as if everything had turned a new page. He played the role of a diligent intern police officer. Approaching Song Wen, he looked at him casually and seriously, saying, “Captain Song, your outfit is quite eye-catching.”

Song Wen rolled up his sleeves, saying, “This is an accidental incident.” His tone lacked the usual confidence. Normally, he was stern and imposing, making people forget his age. At this moment, however, one might remember that he wasn’t much older than the students in these schools.

“It’s nothing; it looks good, making your legs appear long.” Lu Siyu commented while looking at Song Wen. Under the illumination of the incandescent lamp, his white shirt and snowy skin complemented each other, creating a contrast. Whether it was his dressing style or the design of the shirt, the cuffs and collar buttons were all unfastened. Beneath the shirt, a slender wrist was exposed, enticingly white.

Song Wen was momentarily stunned. He hadn’t expected someone to wear a white shirt so cleanly and attractively.

Lu Siyu took a few steps closer, stood in front of Song Wen, and reached out to tidy the collar of his jacket. He whispered, “Captain Song, you could have called me, and I would have brought some for you. Fortunately, there’s a spare set of clothes in the trunk of my car. How about changing in my car?” Lu Siyu then remembered something and gently reminded, “Change your jacket and shoes as well; otherwise, it won’t look coordinated.” With that, he handed the heavy car key to Song Wen.

Song Wen thanked him, pulling back some dignity, and quickly took the key and ran out.

Lu Siyu, wearing gloves and holding a pen and paper, began to record. Xiao Cheng was inside taking photos. Seeing him, she nodded, and another male forensic expert, who had come along, also waved in greeting.

In the small dormitory, there were four or five people, and they had to be careful not to step on anything on the floor. After noting the time and location, Lu Siyu approached Dong Fang’s body. Due to the struggle, under Dong Fang’s nightgown, you could see postmortem lividity had already formed over time, but it was different from the usual postmortem lividity. It exhibited a bright red color. Lu Siyu extended his fingers, carefully examining the congestion under the gloves on the deceased’s eyes and oral mucosa. He looked up at Lin Xiuran and asked, “Cyanide poisoning?”

Lin Xiuran nodded, “Suspected. Further tests are needed to confirm.” This type of poisoning causes insufficient oxygen utilization in the body, increasing oxygenated hemoglobin in the blood. Therefore, the postmortem lividity appears different, displaying a bright red color, which is one of the distinct features and basic knowledge in forensic science. However, for the sake of precision, he didn’t make a conclusive judgment at this moment.

Lu Siyu glanced at the time. The time of death was approximately around 1 a.m., meaning the poisoning, if the dosage was significant, would lead to rapid onset of coma or death. Death would occur within seconds, and there would be no time for rescue. However, it seemed that these female students were normal when preparing to go to bed, so the poison might have been ingested before sleep. Due to the relatively small dosage, there was a process of onset. After taking the poison, there was a hidden period of about half an hour. Subsequently, there was a 15 to 40-minute process of symptom development.

Lin Xiuran watched Lu Siyu busy at work. This newcomer wasn’t just a detective; he also seemed like a forensic expert. His excellent performance and professional demeanor allowed him to handle the current tasks at the scene effectively.

People often say that forensic work is a job for those with a compassionate heart and skilled hands. However, Lin Xiuran felt that this compassion burdened him, preventing him from transcending the worldly and seeing more aspects of the cases, punishing more criminals, and assisting more people.

Lin Xiuran had been striving to make himself more professional, but after nearly ten years in the field, having faced countless challenges, he still couldn’t achieve indifference toward death. He could tolerate more horrifying corpses, more unpleasant smells, and possess more exquisite skills, but every time he faced a victim, he couldn’t overcome his compassion for these individuals. Deep within, there was always a sense of kindness and sympathy.

Lin Xiuran felt that Lu Siyu was different from ordinary people. This newcomer had impressed him from the first time they were at the scene together, and this second collaboration was no different. Lu Siyu’s “indifference” towards life and corpses was different from that of ordinary people, and Lin Xiuran considered it a commendable quality. He believed that as a forensic expert, being cold and ruthless enough, suppressing human nature, and fully immersing oneself in the case was necessary. Avoiding human sympathy and fear would enable a more objective unraveling of the truth.

Lu Siyu seemed indifferent to the victims’ suffering, yet he was fully engaged, cold and unfeeling, but fearless in the face of any horror or tragedy. Standing in the dorm room now, Lu Siyu seemed to be able to envision everything the girls had experienced.

Around 11 p.m., almost all the girls ingested the poison at the same time, with varying dosages. The dormitory lights were turned off at midnight. The girls went to bed after washing up on time. Initially, they felt a slight numbness in their mouths. They tried to moisten their throats with saliva but started drooling uncontrollably. Then, Dong Fang, who likely ingested the highest dose, began vomiting. She didn’t even have time to get out of bed and vomited on the pillow, leaving a puddle of vomit on the pillowcase.

Other girls who heard the noise woke up and checked Dong Fang’s condition. However, since it was late at night and quiet, it didn’t attract the attention of other dorms. The two girls with milder symptoms even went to check on Dong Fang, but at that time… why didn’t they call for help or report to the police?

Lu Siyu turned to look at the adjacent bed. After Dong Fang, Ma Aijing also started having symptoms. Hers were more intense. She fell from the upper bunk, vomited, and the symptoms did not subside. Simultaneously, she experienced headaches, nausea, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing. At that time, the girls, who had taken chemistry classes, should have known what was happening. However, the onset of the poison was rapid, preventing them from reacting or perhaps intentionally avoiding a response.

At this point, a girl ran out and reached the corridor. By then, she had also started experiencing symptoms. The poison quickly caused her to suffocate, making it impossible for her to speak. She left some bloodstains on the door of the neighboring dormitory using her fingers.

Finally, the fourth girl also started showing symptoms… but what was she doing before? What did she do afterward? Lu Siyu frowned slightly and returned to the messy dormitory.

The girls struggled, unable to call for help, irregular heartbeats, limbs powerless, pupils constricted, followed by convulsions… Finally, they entered a paralysis period, deep coma, until death.

This was the end of the corridor in the dormitory. Despite the commotion, except for Room 107, no one else was disturbed.