C4 The Autopsy

"Isn't a hundred bucks a bit steep for him?" Wan'er sighed deeply, unable to understand her father's reasoning. Wouldn't this just waste more money? She'd never heard of a county office without a dedicated coroner, yet Zhongshan County seemed to be the exception.

Even though she knew her father's stingy nature, she couldn't help but advise, "Dad, can't you just hire a proper coroner?"

"That would be such a waste of money! We barely have a single murder case a year in our county. And if it comes down to it, don't I still have you, my dear daughter?" Tang Zhong, despite being the county magistrate, had a habit of being frugal. Ever since her mother passed away, his penny-pinching ways had exploded like a geyser, unstoppable. As he put it, in Zhongshan County, the worst crimes were petty thefts. Why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut? He saw it as saving the government money and doing a good deed.

Wan'er found herself at a loss for words and reluctantly said, "Let's see what the examiner can find first!"

Just then, she noticed Lee Yi looking at them suspiciously. Father and daughter quickly pinched each other behind their backs and put on innocent smiles.

Turning to the examiner, who had been momentarily dazed but now seemed clear-headed, he nervously approached the body. After examining the deceased's arms and the removed organs, and briefly checking the head, he reported to Tang Zhong, "Sir, I've determined that the deceased died from having their face skinned. This... this might not have been done by a human."

"What kind of inhuman act is this?" Tang Zhong, having served as a county magistrate for many years, had never heard such a conclusion.

The post-mortem examiner, trying to suppress his fear, said, "It's... the work of... ghosts."

"Ridiculous, there's no such thing as ghosts," Lee Yi was the first to refute.

Receiving an approving glance from Tang Wan'er, she sneered at the examiner, "How do you determine the deceased died because their face was removed?"

The examiner replied matter-of-factly, "Isn't it obvious? No one can survive having their face removed. You, little girl, know nothing, so stop spouting nonsense."

A cold light flashed in Tang Wan'er's eyes. She could tolerate being questioned, but she would not allow anyone to doubt her expertise, especially not an ignorant examiner.

"Daughter, don't be rash!" Tang Zhong, knowing his daughter well, saw the look on Tang Wan'er's face and knew trouble was brewing. He quickly grabbed her, shaking his head urgently, but it was too late.

In an instant, a flash of white light streaked by as Tang Wan'er swiftly drew a long knife from the yamen runner's side and swung it at the examiner.

"Ah! No!" The examiner crouched down in terror to dodge, but the blade lightly grazed the back of his hand, drawing blood.

The examiner, already scared out of his wits, was speechless, pointing at Tang Wan'er while silently screaming.

Tang Zhong stood frozen in shock at the scene, while Tang Wan'er calmly handed the knife back to the officer, disdainfully telling the examiner, "Let's talk after you see how the wound changes."

The examiner stared blankly at the wound on his hand, forgetting even to bandage it.

Tang Wan'er walked straight to the body, inspecting it from head to toe before suddenly announcing, "The killer is a middle-aged man around forty-five, about six feet tall, skilled with a knife, and had a grudge against the victim. The murder happened by the river."

Everyone gaped at her in disbelief. Tang Zhong quietly moved next to her, nudged her side, and whispered, "Sweetheart, even if we're guessing, let's not get carried away."