Chapter 77 - 76: The Victim’s Identity (2 Updates)

Chapter 77: Chapter 76: The Victim’s Identity (2 Updates)

During this period, under Xiao Yi’s rigorous training, the efficiency of the staff in Anping County improved significantly, and they quickly compiled the list.

At that time, Xu Jing had just finished suturing the corpse’s wounds with Chen Hu’s assistance and was carefully examining the body’s surface for any useful clues.

Meng Anhe ran over to Xiao Yi with a stack of papers, saying, "Vice Minister Xiao, since we already identified the women who went missing over the past six months from these three nearby villages this morning, now we only need to eliminate those who do not match the time and age of disappearance.

After eliminating them, only four potential victims remain — Zhuo Yuting from Xiao Xi Village, nineteen, who disappeared four days ago in the afternoon.

Liu Shuangshuang from Zhongling Village, nineteen, who disappeared five days ago at dawn.

Ling Wei from Taohua Village, twenty-one, who disappeared four days ago in the evening.

The last one is also from Taohua Village, named Guo Yafu, twenty, who disappeared five days ago in the afternoon."

Hearing this, Xu Jing, who was focused intently on examining the wounds on the body, raised her head, about to speak, when Xiao Yi interjected, "Among them, we can eliminate Liu Shuangshuang as well. The victim consumed food half an hour before death, and Liu Shuangshuang disappeared at dawn, a time when it’s unlikely for someone to eat a large amount of food."

Xu Jing glanced at Xiao Yi, a hint of admiration and regret flashing in her eyes.

Frankly, aside from the complicated relationship between her and this man, she really admired his capability in solving cases.

Working with him on cases was undeniably satisfying!

Meng Anhe was momentarily stunned, then slapped his head and exclaimed, "Right! Such a simple thing, and I didn’t think of it! This means only three potential victims remain!"

He couldn’t help but become excited, "This simplifies things, although the victim had nothing on her, there’s still a hairband left, which her family might recognize!

But then, why did the perpetrator take everything from the victim’s body except this hairband?"

Xu Jing pursed her lips and said calmly, "From the act of the perpetrator hiding the victim in the tree hollow, it shows he feared the victim being discovered. Taking all her belongings could be to prevent others from identifying her.

As for leaving the hairband, when I first saw the victim, it was tangled in her hair. The perpetrator clearly wanted to take it but seemed unable to undo a woman’s hairstyle and gave up after messing with it for a long time.

At that point, he might have lost patience or something unexpected happened, causing him to leave the hairband.

However, he achieved his purpose halfway, as an ordinary person could not easily identify the victim solely based on this hairband."

The longer the delay, the harder it becomes to find the real culprit.

Xiao Yi glanced at Xu Jing and said, "I agree with Miss Xu. The perpetrator likely acted on impulse due to attraction, not a habitual offender. Evidently, he panicked after the death, which is why this flaw is left.

Anhe, quickly take this hairband to the families of the three missing women and see if they recognize it."

Meng Anhe immediately replied, "Yes!"

After Meng Anhe left, Xiao Yi saw Xu Jing still kneeling beside the corpse, having Chen Hu examine both sides of the victim’s shoulders, frowning in deep thought, and approached to ask, "Miss Xu, have you found anything?"

Xu Jing looked up at him, instructed Chen Hu to turn the corpse over, and pointed to a spot on her shoulder, "I just found inconspicuous injuries on both of the victim’s shoulders, which look like fingernails digging into the flesh."

Xiao Yi was slightly taken aback, crouched down without regard for his image, took a closer look, and his expression instantly hardened.

Indeed, there were crescent-shaped marks on both shoulders of the victim, three on the right shoulder and four vaguely on the left!

The depth of the marks varied, with one barely noticeable mark near the armpit on the left shoulder, suggesting that someone had grabbed the victim’s shoulders and accidentally left them.

"From the condition of the marks, it can be deduced that they appeared postmortem. However, considering various circumstances, the perpetrator should be a man, not to mention these nail marks are not found anywhere else on the body, only on her shoulders."

Xu Jing frowned deeply and said, word by word, "So I suspect these nail marks were not left by the perpetrator!"

Xiao Yi couldn’t help but look at her and said, "Someone came here after the victim died and left these nail marks on the body."

"Exactly!"

With a contemplative expression, Xu Jing said, "And it’s very likely that they grabbed the victim’s shoulders to confirm if she was truly dead and, due to overwhelming shock and agitation, couldn’t control their grip, leaving these nail marks.

However, if they found a corpse, why didn’t they report it? Not even warned anyone?

Additionally, if someone found the body of a stranger, would they be so agitated as to grab her shoulders?

Unless they knew the victim, or even more, had some connection to this case..."

Xu Jing was deep in thought and hadn’t noticed the man across from her paused for a moment when he realized how close they were, his eyes gradually darkening.

After a while, Xiao Yi withdrew his gaze, unconsciously clenching his fists, stood up and said, "Generally, men engaged in labor don’t keep long nails, and judging from the size of the nail marks, they don’t seem to be left by a man.

The owner of these nail marks is likely a woman. Once we confirm the victim’s identity, we can identify which woman around her might have left these marks."

Xu Jing temporarily withdrew her thoughts and agreed.

The most urgent task now is to confirm the victim’s identity.

Without identifying the victim, nothing further can be done.

Deng Youwei, who had been ignored for quite a while: "..."

If he didn’t know Vice Minister Xiao was not interested in women, he might have thought there was something between Vice Minister Xiao and Miss Xu.

No, the Vice Minister Xiao he admires couldn’t be that kind of person!

Surely he misunderstood!

Especially since after Vice Minister Xiao experienced that failed marriage, there’s been talk in the court that the Holy Emperor sympathizes with this trusted minister and wants to personally find him a suitable match.

The Holy Emperor grew up with Vice Minister Xiao and shares a deep bond with him; if the Holy Emperor intervenes personally, he will certainly choose the most suitable woman for Vice Minister Xiao.

Presumably, when Vice Minister Xiao returns to the Western Capital, happy events are near.

The work of confirming the victim’s identity went unexpectedly smoothly.

Soon, Meng Anhe returned, saluting to Xiao Yi and County Magistrate Deng, saying, "Vice Minister Xiao, County Magistrate Deng, the identity of the victim has been confirmed. It’s Zhuo Yuting from Xiao Xi Village!

Her mother passed away last year, leaving only her father, grandmother, elder brother, sister-in-law, and two nephews. They immediately recognized the hairband as the one Zhuo Yuting used on the day she disappeared!

Her sister-in-law has not been in great health recently, so Zhuo Yuting has taken on all household chores herself. According to her family, four days ago, after breakfast with her sister-in-law, Zhuo Yuting took dirty clothes to the river to wash, and she hadn’t been seen since. That night, realizing something was wrong, they alerted the village and searched for her but found no trace.

We inquired the villagers and learned that when Zhuo Yuting went to the river to wash clothes, several other village women were present. We have gathered them and request Vice Minister Xiao and County Magistrate Deng to come for questioning!"