Chapter 110 - 108: Recusing from the New Case, Encountering an Acquaintance

Chapter 110: Chapter 108: Recusing from the New Case, Encountering an Acquaintance

On the way back to the municipal bureau, after the two bodies had been exhumed.

Zhuang Yanzheng recounted the villa’s recent sales history.

"The first person to buy this plot of land was a woman named Cui Xian. She’s forty-one this year. Construction began the same year she bought it."

"Four years ago, after the renovations were finished, she suddenly wanted to sell the place," Zhuang Yanzheng said. "Ji Sheng bought it."

Su Miaoyi and Yan Cheng listened quietly.

"Ji Sheng’s company wasn’t doing well, so he sold the place a while ago. The current owner is named Wang Ningyu. We just met him," Zhuang Yanzheng said. "He said he doesn’t really like the style, and he had a master check the feng shui, who told him the villa’s current location is bad. So he decided to just tear it down and rebuild."

"The master couldn’t have divined that there were bodies buried underneath, could he?" Chu Xingrou said.

Su Miaoyi rested her hand on Chu Xingrou’s head. "I think you’re right. The killer’s day of reckoning has arrived."

Chu Xingrou nodded. "Also... this villa occupies a huge plot of land. Building it must have been a massive project. Is it possible something like a foundation sacrifice happened?"

Su Miaoyi and the others were silent for a moment.

Foundation sacrifice is an ancient, superstitious practice—a form of human sacrifice.

The belief was that breaking ground on a site would disrupt its feng shui and anger vengeful spirits. To ensure the project’s smooth progression and minimize accidents, a living person would be buried alive.

Usually, young boys and girls were used for the sacrifice.

The two skeletons from today.

One of them was young.

However, both were female.

Whether they were buried alive would require further autopsy.

But regardless of whether it was a foundation sacrifice or not.

Cui Xian and the construction crew from back then were both suspects.

Yan Cheng looked at the two women and said, "The time of death was four to five years ago. If the concrete in the backyard was poured after Ji Sheng bought the place, or if he had some connection to the construction crew, he can’t be cleared of suspicion either."

"I’ve already sent people to question the Cui and Ji families," Zhuang Yanzheng said. "There should be photos of the villa from the time of the sale."

Yan Cheng nodded.

"So..." Zhuang Yanzheng looked at Su Miaoyi in the rearview mirror.

"Do I need to recuse myself?" Su Miaoyi asked.

"It would be best," Zhuang Yanzheng said.

Su Miaoyi nodded. "Understood."

’It’s better to recuse myself anyway.’

’It’s not that I’m afraid people will say I’m helping clear Ji Sheng’s name.’

’I’m just worried that if this case really is connected to Ji Sheng, people will say I’m trying to harm him, that I’m deliberately framing him.’

’In Cai Ke and Cai Xi’s case, Cai Qinglian is still running around claiming I was the one pulling the strings.’

’It’s best to stay away from things like this when I can.’

’Though my conscience is clear, I’d rather not deal with the wagging tongues.’

"Recuse yourself after the autopsy," Zhuang Yanzheng said.

Su Miaoyi met his gaze in the rearview mirror. "Okay."

She needed to see if she could get any images from the bodies.

「Back at the municipal bureau.」

Su Miaoyi and Yan Cheng went to the autopsy room.

The first thing they did was to separate the two skeletons and lay them out properly.

When they were dug up and put into body bags, the distinguishable parts had been bagged separately.

After everything was sorted and laid out.

Yan Cheng began a detailed examination.

His assistant took notes at his side.

"Female, approximately thirty-six years old at time of death. Height around five-foot-six. Time of death was between four and five years ago."

Su Miaoyi said, "Judging by the clothes, it was during the summer."

Then he went to examine the other one.

"Female, approximately fourteen years old at time of death, height around five-foot-three. Time of death was between four and five years ago. Hyoid bone is fractured, with signs of force applied to the neck. Cause of death is mechanical asphyxiation due to strangulation."

After the basic examination was finished, Yan Cheng took a bone sample from near the stomach area to prepare for a routine toxicology screening.

They also needed to extract DNA to determine the victims’ identities.

Afterward, Yan Cheng placed the skulls and teeth of both skeletons into anhydrous ethanol.

"This is for..." Yan Cheng’s assistant asked.

Yan Cheng looked at Su Miaoyi.

Su Miaoyi blinked and said, "To observe the changes in the teeth and skulls to confirm the cause of death."

The assistant still didn’t quite understand.

Yan Cheng explained it to him in detail.

Half an hour later, the younger victim’s skull showed no change, but the roots of the teeth had turned orange-red, exhibiting the "pink teeth" phenomenon.

This indicated asphyxiation before death.

Consistent with death by strangulation.

The older victim was the opposite. Her teeth showed no change, but the skull showed bone staining, indicating the skull had suffered a violent blow, resulting in a traumatic brain injury.

The lack of change in the teeth also indicated no asphyxiation occurred before death.

The cause of death was a heavy blow to the head.

Of course, they still had to wait for the toxicology results.

For now.

Judging from the posture of the skeletons and the causes of death, they were buried post-mortem.

"Did you see anything?" Yan Cheng asked in a low voice.

Su Miaoyi shook her head. "No."

"Let’s have Lu Zhishen do a facial reconstruction from the skulls," Yan Cheng said.

Su Miaoyi nodded. ’It’s been so many years. Someone must have reported them missing.’

’It can’t be like the Qian Fan case again, can it?’

...

After the autopsy was over, Su Miaoyi prepared to head back to her place.

She left the municipal bureau and walked down the steps.

Just as she reached the bottom step, a car pulled up and stopped at the entrance of the municipal bureau.

The window rolled down, revealing Shen Yanzhou’s face.

Su Miaoyi raised an eyebrow. "You’re not allowed to park in front of the bureau."

"Get in, quick," Shen Yanzhou said with a smile.

Su Miaoyi got in the car, fastened her seatbelt, and Shen Yanzhou drove away.

"What are you doing here?" Su Miaoyi asked.

"My passport expired. I just came from the immigration office, and I saw you as I was driving by," Shen Yanzhou said. "Getting off work so early today?"

Over the past two months, Shen Yanzhou had visited Weiyang Palace many times.

He had already figured out Su Miaoyi’s work schedule.

"I wanted to rest a bit today." As soon as Su Miaoyi finished speaking, her stomach rumbled a few times.

Su Miaoyi: "..."

Shen Yanzhou glanced at her. "You haven’t eaten yet at this hour?"

"There was a case." Su Miaoyi looked out the window, trying to spot a place to eat.

"What do you want to eat?" Shen Yanzhou asked.

Su Miaoyi thought for a moment. "I remember a new beef noodle shop opened on the way back."

Shen Yanzhou hadn’t really noticed it.

They were halfway there when they finally saw the noodle shop.

"If you have something to do, you can go ahead. I can get back on my own," Su Miaoyi said.

"What, you’re going to let me go hungry?" Shen Yanzhou asked.

"You haven’t eaten either?" Su Miaoyi asked.

"I ate, but I’m hungry again," Shen Yanzhou said as he unbuckled his seatbelt. "Treat me."

"Then I guess Young Master Shen will have to rough it with me today," Su Miaoyi said, pushing open the car door to get out.

Shen Yanzhou locked the car and followed her into the shop.

Having just opened recently, the shop was new and clean.

Su Miaoyi stood at the ordering counter. The server, who had their back to them while organizing things, heard the sound and immediately turned around with a smile. "Hello."

Su Miaoyi looked at her, a flicker of shock in her eyes.

The person in front of her overlapped with someone from her memory.

It was Xiang Lianlian.

...