On the outskirts, just before dawn, the mist still hung over the river.
The reeds stood silently, swaying gently in the breeze, creating ripples on the water.
But this tranquility was doomed to be broken.
In stark contrast to the peaceful surroundings was a young girl lying by the river, never to wake up again.
Her eyes were closed tightly. After being in the water for several days, the sight was far from pleasant.
In the distance, a cacophony of sirens grew louder and louder.
As the forensic team, the technical unit, and the criminal investigation brigade arrived, a conspiracy slowly unfurled.
It was the special case team in charge of this investigation. When the team members arrived, the police dogs were released and led them straight to this hidden burial site.
Leading the way was an old hand in the detective unit, Old Li. With a sharp eye and rich experience in solving cases, his years of high - level vigilance had allowed him to catch several suspects even while on the road.
Old Li wasn't actually old; it was just a nickname given to him half - in jest and half - in respect by his subordinates.
The new intern was a green hand, with bright eyes. It was his first time accompanying the team to a crime scene. He was so nervous and excited that he wished he could be Sherlock Holmes himself.
Bringing up the rear was Deputy Captain Jiang, who was on the field mission today. He looked plump and amiable, always smiling at everyone. But those who knew him well, especially the criminals, secretly cursed him as an old fox.
This man was simply too good at disguising himself. He seemed harmless, but in fact, he was the one with the most tricks up his sleeve.
Old Li followed the path of the police dog and the dog handler carefully.
This area was originally intended by a real - estate developer to build a manor for the entertainment of the rich. But later, after consulting a feng - shui master, they abandoned the plan.
There were also some spooky stories circulating.
People started to spread wild tales about "fox fairies" and "yellow weasel spirits." Over time, due to its remote location and these rumors, fewer and fewer people came here.
In fact, in the six months before the police arrived, few people had set foot here.
Old Li turned to the intern and asked, "Kid, do you know why places like this are favorite dumping grounds for criminals?"
"Because it's secluded?" the intern asked tentatively, racking his brains for the theoretical knowledge he had learned.
"Wrong. It's because the criminal gets a sense of superiority here. I guarantee you, the murderer must have returned to the scene many times," Old Li said confidently, his moustache twitching.
"Why?"
"Because this wasn't a crime of passion," Old Li said, pushing aside the thick bushes on the saline - alkaline land and turning back to explain. "Look, this place is so desolate that even locals may not know about it. If it were a crime of passion, the murderer wouldn't have had such a well - thought - out plan. I'm sure the murderer had planned everything in advance."
The intern looked around the environment and nodded admiringly. "That makes so much sense, sir. What else can we tell from this?"
Just then, the police dog a few meters away began to bark loudly. Old Li and Deputy Captain Jiang, with their rich experience, were off like a shot before the intern could even react.
This was a long - abandoned saline - alkaline land that was usually used for water storage. It had never flooded. Even during the flood season, when the water level rose slightly, it didn't cover much area.
Now, at a bend in the river, the police dog went wild, barking non - stop.
Old Li's years of fieldwork had paid off. He was so fast that even the deputy captain couldn't keep up with him.
This case had become a headache for their serious - crime detective unit.
The disappearance of the girl from school had shaken these battle - hardened veteran policemen.
It wasn't just any girl; she was a high - school student with a simple social life and a harmonious family. How could such a low - risk young girl just vanish into thin air?
It had been over 72 hours since her disappearance. They had done everything they could, blocking the highway exits and setting up checkpoints, but the mastermind behind the scenes had managed to evade their search time and time again.
In broad daylight, a girl whose life was just beginning had disappeared without a trace.
The dog handler led the police dog, and it finally led them to the crime scene.
The police dog sniffed around and then suddenly stopped and started barking frantically. Deputy Captain Jiang and the others knew that they might have made a breakthrough.
The three of them rushed over quickly.
The field - work staff on - site immediately set up a cordon after confirming the location.
A young girl who had been missing for so many days was finally found by the police.
When they reached the crime scene, everyone fell silent at the sight before them.
The girl's bright eyes would never open again. She was lying naked, dumped like trash beside the abandoned ditch, with most of her body submerged in the water, causing her to bloat grotesquely.
Because of this, even when Old Li and the others stood right in front of her, they couldn't associate this bloated body with the sweet - looking photo of Wang Lin.
The most terrifying thing was that there was a ten - centimeter - long stitch mark across her belly, and her abdomen was abnormally sunken. Logically, after being here for so many days, her body should have been swollen. Moreover, her head...
Old Li had seen many gruesome scenes during his years as a policeman, but this time, the horror exceeded his expectations.
The intern couldn't hold it in any longer and ran to the side to vomit.
The sly Deputy Captain Jiang shook his head. Starting his first field mission with such a nightmarish scene, should they say the newbie was lucky or unlucky?
They actually didn't know whose body this was.
They had received great news this morning. Someone had provided a text message. The data analysts in the criminal investigation department, ignoring all dissuasions, had worked through two sleepless nights to trace the IP address and finally deduced the location from a clue that even the murderer had abandoned.
The adult members of the criminal investigation brigade on - site were deeply affected by the sight. If it weren't for the need to preserve the evidence, some of the female officers would have taken off their coats to cover the unknown girl.
Deputy Captain Jiang and Old Li exchanged a knowing look, both recalling the bets they had made among their colleagues during their light - hearted moments.
For example, whether they would find anything today and whether their emotions would be more stable.
However, they had no idea that the real drama was yet to come.
The intern, unable to contain his curiosity, wanted to take another look at the scene but ended up vomiting again.
Old Li wrinkled his nose in disgust and waved the newbie away. He sighed with emotion, "Who wasn't young once? Back in my day..." But his attempt to share his past was cut short.
He wondered if it was appropriate to say this, "The anime I've been following still hasn't ended. Japanese manga culture can be so messed up."
The intern struggled but still managed to give his superior a look that seemed to say he was okay. It was a pity he didn't have a picture to show. Otherwise, he would have invited her here.