Chapter 34: The Case of the Hammer Fiend (Part III)

Beneath the stark, shadowless lights of the autopsy room, the subtle sound of Li Rui pulling on his latex gloves was piercingly clear in the silence.

He stood before the autopsy table, his gaze fixed on the two bodies laid out side by side—one old, one young, resting as quietly as fallen leaves.

The old woman’s skin had taken on an unnatural, ashen hue, with soil embedded in the creases of her flesh. Li Rui’s fingertips gently brushed aside her graying hair, revealing a small, subcutaneous hemorrhage behind her ear.

He picked up a scalpel, its blade glinting coldly under the light. As it sliced through the skin, it made a faint, tearing sound, like parchment being ripped.

"Fractured sternum, third and fourth ribs broken..." Li Rui murmured into his mask, his voice sounding muffled.

His fingers probed the chest cavity, meeting the jagged ends of the fractured bones. "The fracture ends are serrated, consistent with blunt force trauma."

When he turned to the young girl, Li Rui’s movements became noticeably gentler. The child’s body was like a shattered porcelain doll, her knees and elbows covered in large abrasions. He noticed dark red material under her fingernails and carefully collected a sample with a swab.

When he reached the pelvic area, Li Rui’s breath hitched. He grabbed a magnifying glass to inspect every minute tear.

"Multiple perineal lacerations, fresh hymenal rupture..." His voice trembled. "Rectal sphincter tear, accompanied by hemorrhage."

As the evidence swab touched the wound, Li Rui’s wrist shook slightly. She should have been a blooming flower of a girl, yet here she lay, never to smile again.

"Pubic symphysis separation..." Li Rui continued to record, his voice growing lower.

The shadowless light stretched his shadow across the pale wall, looking like a silent tombstone.

Once the evidence collection was complete, Li Rui gently straightened the girl’s clothes. His fingers brushed her cold cheek, as if he could smooth away the suffering she had endured in her final moments.

As he turned, he saw his own eyes in the autopsy room mirror—bloodshot, as if they might start bleeding at any moment.

"I will find the killer," he told his reflection, his voice raspy and foreign to his own ears. "I swear it."

*Ding-dong.* The doorbell of the autopsy room rang.

"Enter," Li Rui said coolly, peeling off his gloves.

Before the door had fully opened, a familiar voice called out, "Forensic Pathologist Li, you’ve finally arrived."

The man who entered was Lei Chen.

Li Rui cast him a glance. "I’m only one day behind you."

"But I can't go a single day without you, our great forensic expert," Lei Chen replied.

"Spare me the flattery. Can’t you solve a case without me? Besides, I’m here now, aren't I?" Li Rui said.

Lei Chen glanced at the autopsy table, where the two bodies had been covered again by white sheets. "How does it look?"

"The old woman’s head was struck by a heavy object, and the killer used a sharp instrument to gouge a large hole in her face; her teeth were exposed. It was a gruesome death," Li Rui stated objectively. "The little boy’s body isn't here, but his head was equally mangled. There were no signs of a struggle; he was likely killed in his sleep."

Walking to the other body, Li Rui continued, "The little girl was found naked. She also had a large hole in her head and was sexually assaulted post-mortem."

Lei Chen, a man with years of investigative experience, couldn't help but sigh. "This elderly woman and the children were already living a hard life. Who could be so cruel as to commit such a heinous act?"

Li Rui didn't answer. Instead, he asked, "Would you like some coffee?"

Lei Chen looked at him in surprise. "In here?"

Li Rui nodded, unbothered. "Why not?"

Soon, the sharp, acidic scent of coffee mingled with the smell of disinfectant.

Lei Chen suppressed his nausea, took the cup Li Rui handed him, and said with genuine admiration, "Forensic Pathologist Li, I admire you more and more."

The two men leaned against the lab table, looking silently at the bodies, lost in thought for a long while.

Suddenly, Li Rui broke the silence. "How is the investigation into the nearby villagers coming along?"

Lei Chen remembered and quickly replied, "Oh, it’s mostly done. Two days ago, a villager did see a small man wandering at the edge of the village. The little girl was out there playing with her younger brother at the time."

"Furthermore, the physical description of this short individual matches your initial profile. I think it’s highly likely to be him," Lei Chen said.

"Have you tracked his whereabouts?" Li Rui asked.

Lei Chen shook his head helplessly. "Other than surveillance from a small shop at the village entrance, no cameras captured him anywhere else in the village. We have no idea where he exited from. Plus, it was raining that day, making it even harder to track him."

Li Rui set down his coffee. "How do you think we should categorize this case? Robbery, or intentional homicide?"

Lei Chen frowned. "According to the scene, there were signs of the house being ransacked, but looking at the missing property—only a few coins—it’s hard to call it a robbery. But if it were a revenge killing, that doesn't hold up either."

"True. What enemies could this grandmother and her two grandchildren possibly have?" Li Rui nodded.

"So, that leaves robbery as the more likely motive," Lei Chen suggested.

"The killer’s motive was likely home invasion robbery, but he is a coward. He didn't dare target strong adults, so he chose the elderly and children instead. As for whether there was money in the house, it was a total blind-box gamble—he took whatever he could find," Li Rui analyzed.

"That makes sense," Lei Chen agreed.

"Are the previous cases similar?" Li Rui asked.

Lei Chen replied, "This is the third case. The previous two were highly similar to this one; the killer used a blunt object in all of them."

"Was there any property stolen?"

"Yes, but very little."

"Then we can basically confirm that this killer chooses his victims randomly and has no specific targets."

Lei Chen smiled. "That’s why I said I needed you here. Look, you just arrived, and the investigation is already showing progress."

"It’s too early to celebrate. We don't really know anything about this killer. Aside from knowing he’s a short man, we don't know his appearance, his age, or where he’s from," Li Rui said with a troubled expression.

"This man is very cautious; he won't take unnecessary risks," Lei Chen analyzed, resting his chin in his hand.

Li Rui nodded and joked, "Since when did Captain Lei become so profound?"

Lei Chen glanced at him. "Since when did Forensic Pathologist Li start making jokes?"

"Heh."

"Once I head back, I’ll expand the search area and check surveillance footage from other nearby locations to track down this 'Hammer Maniac'."

Li Rui added, "If we want to link the Li Village case with the previous two, we need key evidence. Where are the previous bodies?"

"Oh, they’re still at the Xiping Precinct."

"Then I’m going there now!" Li Rui said.

"Are you in such a hurry? Director Wen is arriving soon," Lei Chen blurted out.

Li Rui paused and stared at him. "Wen Rou has been discharged?"

Lei Chen scratched the back of his head, looking awkward. "I couldn't help it; she insisted on coming. I told her to rest for a few more days, but she wouldn't listen. I couldn't stop her..."

Li Rui glared at him. "Then why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I was busy asking about the case!" Lei Chen said, feeling aggrieved. "Besides, Director Wen specifically told me not to tell you."

"You certainly listen to her," Li Rui said sharply.

"Can't help it. She’s the deputy team leader," Lei Chen shrugged. "I can't disobey an order from a superior."

"You!" Li Rui pointed at his nose. "Fine, you win."

With that, Li Rui grabbed his coat. "If I had known she was coming, I could have just brought her with me. Now she has to drive herself—don't you think that's a hassle?"

"I didn't know you were with her..." Lei Chen called out to his departing back.