Return to the crime scene

Author: Gao Da Cheng, Ji Qing
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: She lay on the ground, gradually growing cold. She had stopped breathing, but her eyes remained wide open, as if still longing to witness the ups and downs of the world. However, she could no longer see anything, for she had become a corpse. Gradually, people gathered around her. They saw a pool of blood slowly seeping from her side, crimson and flowing. From behind the crowd, a young man squeezed forward. When he saw the body, it suddenly twitched. The face that had been lying face down on the ground turned abruptly, eyes fixed dead on the young man. Upon recognizing the woman's face, the young man's legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground. After a moment of silence, he suddenly snapped back to reality, realizing who the woman was. Struggling to his feet, he frantically threw himself onto her body, shouting, "Yi Qian—" He burst into tears, crying uncontrollably. A wave of sighs rose from the crowd around him. Although life and death were not uncommon, here, the young man's grief moved everyone present. The man seemed to recall something and abruptly stopped crying. He took out his mobile phone and called the police. Ten minutes later, police cars arrived at the scene. Uniformed officers approached and persuaded the young man to step aside, discovering that a yellow tape had been placed around the body. The scene was solemn, with only the woman's corpse lying quietly on the ground, the air thick with the smell of blood. The onlookers grew increasingly numerous. All that remained was to wait for the forensic examiner to arrive and investigate the scene.
This all took place in front of a supermarket on Han Kou Road in North Taichung, with a dental clinic next door. It was one of the hottest days of the summer.
Forensic examiner Gao Da Cheng received a call from the police asking him to respond to the scene and immediately felt a sense of unease. He suspected it was another strange homicide!
When Gao Da Cheng arrived at the scene, it was already nearing evening. The lingering heat of the day still filled the air, and the sun still cast its sharp rays of dusk. He wiped the sweat constantly streaming down his forehead but still felt scorching hot. A yellow tape had already been laid out around the open space in front of the building, with a crowd of curious citizens gathered outside. A few were excitedly discussing what they had seen. People today were so eager to hear about strange rumors—once they heard of a homicide, even if they took a taxi, they had to come to catch a whiff of the blood on the scene. Everyone has a desire to pry into others' privacy, yet the shocking stains of blood on the asphalt had already left a vivid impression in their hearts.
Gao Da Cheng, Taiwan's most renowned forensic examiner, maintained a standard healthy physique. Despite his sturdy build, he retained the refined grace of an intellectual. He served as a consultant forensic examiner for the District Prosecutors' Office and the High Prosecutors' Office. Not only had he received formal medical training in Taiwan but had also pursued advanced studies at Kyoto University in Japan, earning a Ph.D. From a young age, Gao Da Cheng had been trained in, so he placed great emphasis on evidence in everything he did.