Chapter 20

How gruesome!

Jin Shu fastened her wrist bindings, pulled on a face veil, and had just slipped on one glove when she turned slightly and peered into the room under the moonlight. Her heart skipped a beat—she froze.

Even Li Jin, the battle-hardened war god, furrowed his brows at the sight inside and felt a flicker of unease.

The walls were smeared with chaotic bloody handprints. The floor was splattered with blood, intermingled with long, dragged-out footprints—clear evidence of a brutal struggle and fierce resistance.

Li Jin lit two lantern trays, handed one to Jin Shu, and stepped forward. Just as he was about to enter, a voice called out behind them: “Master, wait!”

They turned to see Yun Fei rushing over, hands stained red, followed by County Magistrate Xiao Lin jogging with a case. “Don’t go in yet—let me finish sketching the scene.”

He took the case from Xiao Lin and glanced at Jin Shu beside Li Jin.

She wore the uniform of the Six Gates constables, but her face was unfamiliar. Her slight frame and the timing of her appearance told Yun Fei all he needed to know—this must be the “Master Jin” who was constantly being petitioned against.

“Master Jin, no need to rush in. I’ll sketch the unique traces first—it won’t take long.” He stepped onto a wooden plank laid inside the room and, under dim light, began smearing ink onto rice paper with his hands.

“This is Yun Fei,” Li Jin explained to Jin Shu. “He has a keen eye for unusual traces and is an expert in trace and physical evidence analysis at the Six Gates.”

Jin Shu tilted her head, trying to get a better look inside. In her previous life, there were dedicated forensic trace labs. Now, in this ancient world of Great Wei, she’d assumed such specialization was impossible due to limited technology.

“Trace analysis is possible here? Don’t tell me you’ve got criminal profilers too?” she muttered to herself.

To her surprise, Li Jin nodded. “You’ll meet him once we return to the capital.”

She blinked. “You actually do?”

Inside, Yun Fei finished his sketch and tiptoed out. He bowed politely to Jin Shu. “Master Jin, corpse analysis isn’t my specialty. I’ll leave the rest to you. I hope you can guide this case forward.”

Jin Shu returned the gesture. Just as she turned to enter, Yun Fei opened his case and handed it to her. “Please use these.”

Inside were knives and saws. Jin Shu glanced at the room and waved him off. “No rush. Let me take a look first.”

She stepped inside without hesitation. Yun Fei moved aside with the case.

Li Jin watched the ornate, jade-inlaid box in Yun Fei’s hands, arms crossed, deep in thought. He’d expected a test from the famed coroner—but this came sooner than anticipated.

Inside, Jin Shu walked forward with the lantern tray. Her eyes scanned the horrific bloodstains before settling on the body of a woman in sleepwear, lying sideways against the inner doorway, covered with a small blanket. Her head rested on the threshold, her body surrounded by blood.

Jin Shu crouched, wiped the woman’s forehead, and gently pressed her upper arm.

“She’s young. Time of death is recent—within three hours. No rigor mortis yet, residual warmth just faded.” She lifted the woman’s hand. “Scratches on the back and fingers—likely from a struggle.”

Behind her, Li Jin stepped onto the wooden plank and bent down to take the lantern tray from her. “I’ll hold it.”

Jin Shu didn’t care who held the light. Her focus was on the body. She rotated the woman’s head slightly and, under the flickering flame, spotted an unusual wound.

“Severe head trauma—likely blunt force. Very heavy.” She adjusted the woman’s posture, revealing shocking marks behind her.

“She needs to be taken back to the county office.” She frowned at the scattered bloodstains. “This looks more like a revenge or rage killing. Theft or lust wouldn’t require such brutality.”

Li Jin stood behind her, lips pressed tight, and nodded. Only someone truly vicious could commit such an act.

“Magistrate Xiao Lin,” he called out, “take this woman to the autopsy room at the county office.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” Outside, Xiao Lin, who had been waiting, pulled in a prepared flat cart, rolled up his sleeves, and directed three constables to place the body on it. Then, under everyone’s gaze, he personally wheeled her away.

“Xiao Lin County is small, with limited resources and little funding,” Li Jin explained to Jin Shu, accustomed to such conditions.

But she wasn’t listening. Her eyes remained fixed on the room, fingers gently rubbing her jaw as she thought.

Even in the autopsy room, Jin Shu said nothing. She was deep in thought. She looked at the woman lying before her, took a flat box from the shelf, laid it open on the table, and picked up a large pair of scissors. With a few snips, she cut open the woman’s clothing.

The marks revealed stunned everyone.

Jin Shu counted the bruises and pondered. “Before the formal autopsy, I have a question for Master Yun.”

She frowned and turned to Yun Fei. “Based on the scene, can you deduce what happened inside the room?”

“From the traces, the victim and assailant fought fiercely. Footprints outside are scattered, while inside they’re layered and show signs of dragging and pulling. So the conflict likely began at the doorway, moved inside, and after a prolonged struggle, the victim bled out and died.”

Li Jin nodded in agreement. “Matches my observations.”

“Then something’s off.” Jin Shu set down the scissors and looked at the woman. “There are over twenty bruises from blunt force trauma—not counting the head. No ordinary person, regardless of age, could endure that and still fight back for any length of time.”

She hesitated, worried she hadn’t explained clearly, and rephrased: “If the killer intended to kill, each blow would’ve been full force. Even with a stick, twenty strikes would leave someone incapacitated.”

“How could she, after suffering so many blunt force injuries, still manage a prolonged, desperate fight?”

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