"It wasn't really necessary for us to go." Xiao Wang glanced at Lin Fan, "The leader said you should go out and avoid the limelight, so you don't stay home brooding and end up doing something extreme."

Qin Feng gave Xiao Wang a cold look. Lin Fan put on her headphones, poked Qin Feng's arm, and whispered, "Wake me up when we get there. I'll take a nap."

Qin Feng responded with a hum, took his coat, and covered Lin Fan with it. Xiao Wang glanced at Qin Feng through the rearview mirror, grinning cheekily, "Is Lin still in high school?"

Qin Feng shot him a look, "You talk too much."

Xiao Wang scratched his head and laughed.

Lin Fan quickly fell asleep, her head resting between the seat and the car window. Passing over a speed bump, her head hit with a thud. She groaned, rubbed her head without opening her eyes, changed position, and continued sleeping. Qin Feng gently turned her head and placed it on his lap. Lin Fan opened her eyes, saw Qin Feng, shifted her head a bit, and went back to sleep.

They arrived in Xu County at 1 PM, quickly grabbed lunch, and rushed to the county police station. Although the crime scene was close to City X, the person who reported finding the bones was also from City X, the actual location of the crime belonged to Jiangcheng. Therefore, Xu County's police were responsible for the case. The bones had already been excavated, and the clothes had turned into fragments, piled to the side. Based on the degree of decomposition, at least five years had passed.

The exact cause of death still required an autopsy. Qin Feng looked over the remains and said to the already suited-up forensic doctor Liu, "The skull is damaged."

Forensic doctor Liu, already gloved and in his work attire, examined the bones, "The skull is indeed damaged. It's an old injury."

"The ribs are fractured."

The county's forensic doctor said, "Two ribs were broken by a dog."

"I know, new fractures." Forensic doctor Liu pointed to the fresh break marks, "But there are also two other ribs that are fractured." He felt the position of the ribs and frowned, "Such neat breaks, did you find the pieces of the two ribs the dog broke?" He looked back at the county's forensic doctor, gesturing, "A segment of a rib is missing."

"We found one piece, the other one was reportedly taken by the dog."

Qin Feng circled the bones, and the county's forensic doctor said, "The deceased is male, aged between twenty and twenty-five. The time of death could be five or six years ago. Height is about 1.72 meters, and the cause of death might be a heavy blow to the head. Arms were tied behind the back, ribs fractured. It can basically be confirmed as a homicide."

"Yes, more or less." Forensic doctor Liu examined the skull carefully, being very meticulous in his work.

Qin Feng picked up the pile of cloth fragments nearby, "The time of death could be pinpointed more accurately."

"How so?"

"Let's piece them together."

The fabric, faded and in tatters, was assembled by the forensic team. Qin Feng said, "The time of death should be in summer, short sleeves."

The remains had been buried for so long that no more valuable clues could be found. After a moment of contemplation, Qin Feng asked, "Can you take me to the crime scene?"

"It's a bit far from here. It takes over three hours by car, and the mountain roads are not good."

Qin Feng took off his gloves and turned to leave, "If we go now and drive fast, we can return before dark."

The days are long in summer.

Qin Feng lifted Lin Fan and headed out. Lin Fan rubbed her nose, "That body had six fingers."

Qin Feng paused and turned to look at her, "Six fingers?"

Lin Fan nodded, "Six-fingered people aren't very common, it's a clue."

Qin Feng had Xiao Wang and the others wait, then turned back to examine the body. How did he miss the six fingers? When he returned, forensic doctor Liu and another were studying the ribs. Seeing Qin Feng, forensic doctor Liu nudged his glasses with his arm, "Why are you back?"

Qin Feng looked down at the hand bones, "Six fingers?"

There are two types of six fingers. One type is like a normal finger with nails, bones, joints, and tendons, which is more noticeable. The other type lacks bones and is less noticeable; for instance, the sixth finger might not be visible after the body decomposes. The body's right thumb had an extra bone spur on the side, very subtle. How did Lin Fan notice it?

"This person had six fingers." Qin Feng said.

Forensic doctor Liu temporarily set aside the ribs and picked up the hand bones for inspection. After a while, he nodded, "Indeed, six fingers."

"Any signs of surgery?"

"No surgery, the sixth finger was small and lacked a full bone joint."

Another forensic doctor said, "I've seen many rural people with such six fingers that don't affect the normal ones. They don't usually remove them, as the family can't afford the surgery."

Qin Feng, "Does this narrow down the range? This person was from a rural background, likely not well-off."

Forensic doctor Liu's eyes widened, "Right."

Qin Feng, "I see. I'll check the scene and get back to you."

"Remember to bring back soil samples." Forensic doctor Liu said, "The remains here are too clean. I want to understand the burial environment."

"Got it."

Qin Feng and forensic doctor Liu had worked on many cases together and had developed a basic understanding of each other.

Qin Feng exited, and Xiao Wang and Lin Fan were waiting in the car. Lin Fan, seeing Qin Feng, sat up straight, smiling with arched eyebrows. Qin Feng opened the car door, got in, and closed the door, "Let's go."

He casually ruffled Lin Fan's hair, "It really was six fingers."

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A county police captain sat in the front passenger seat, "We have good public security here, rarely any heinous incidents. The crime scene is actually outside Xu County. If City X hadn't pushed the case to us, it wouldn't be ours."

Qin Feng handed an opened bottle of water to Lin Fan. Her lips were dry.

"What are you thinking?"

"Wondering how that person died." Lin Fan took a sip of water and put the bottle back, "The clothes looked like those promotional shirts, but they were too decomposed to see the pattern."

While Qin Feng examined the bones, Lin Fan hadn't been idle either.

"Heaven's net is wide, and justice will prevail. The truth will come out."

Lin Fan nodded, looking out the window. Outside the city, the road was mountainous. The mountain roads were winding and rough. Lin Fan clung tightly to the handle to avoid being thrown against the window.

"Is there no highway here?"

"They're building the Jiang-X highway, estimated to be completed in a year."

Another sharp turn came. Xiao Wang gripped the steering wheel, "Good thing I'm a skilled driver, an old hand. Otherwise, driving this mountain road would be dangerous—" Before he finished, he slammed on the brakes, almost throwing everyone forward. A motorcycle zoomed past, causing their car to veer into a drainage ditch.

"That guy has a death wish, riding like that? Thinks he's immortal."

Qin Feng pushed open the door and got out, "Get out, I'll drive."

Xiao Wang silently got out, head down, looking dejected. He went to the trunk for tools to dig and fill the ditch, finally getting the car out after twenty minutes.

"Isn't there a ban on motorcycles? How are there still riders? No helmets, no traffic rules. If he wants to die, he shouldn't involve others."

On the other side of the mountain was a cliff. Lei Weiyu from the county police was also scared, "He was too fast, no time to react. I'll call traffic police to catch him. That guy needs to be fined, he's reckless." He was still shaken; they had nearly lost their lives.

With Qin Feng driving, Lin Fan was now fully alert, keeping an eye on the road ahead, genuinely frightened.

They reached a nearby village at 4:30 PM. Qin Feng got out, stood at the edge of the road, and looked up. The terrain was steep, with mountain roads and forests above.

Turning around, there was a river in front.

"The crime scene is in this forest. This area is popular with people from City X for weekend fishing and recreation."

In front was a forest dominated by locust trees.

"How do we get down?"

"There's a small path here," Lei Weiyu said, leading the way. Qin Feng followed him down and then turned back, extending his hand. "Take it slow."

Xiao Wang was taken aback and pointed at himself. "Me?"

Qin Feng was disgusted. "Get lost." He nodded towards the person behind Xiao Wang. "Lin Fan."

Xiao Wang: "..."

The narrow path was flanked by thorn bushes. Qin Feng held Lin Fan's hand, guiding her down. Growing up in the mountains, Lin Fan was used to such paths. Her face felt warm, and she kept her head down, following Qin Feng.

Near the river, there was a large, flat woodland. The trees were tall, and deeper in the forest, there was a large pit marked with police tape. Qin Feng released Lin Fan's hand and walked over.

The pit was less than a meter deep; otherwise, it wouldn’t have been dug up by dogs.

There was scattered trash nearby, like plastic bags and drink bottles. Lin Fan frowned and started picking up the blown plastic bags, stuffing them into a big bag.

"This is where they found the body," Xiao Wang said, opening a box and putting on gloves to re-examine the scene and take soil samples.

"How many villages are there around here?" Qin Feng asked.

"Five or six," Lei Weiyu replied.

Lin Fan squatted by the pit, examining it. There was a faint smell of rot, mixed with the stench of the corpse. After so many years, the corpse smell was very faint. She rubbed her nose, asked for gloves, and jumped into the pit, turning over a clod of earth. A rusted coin appeared. Lin Fan picked it up. "Is this the victim's?"

Qin Feng took the coin. It was a one-yuan coin, the characters on it barely discernible, but he could make out a faint "09." He put the coin into an evidence bag while Xiao Wang took photographs of the scene.

With nothing else discovered, Qin Feng walked out of the forest towards the river. "Is there a boat around here?"

"There is, but big boats don't stop here. They dock at the pier."

"How far is the pier? When was it built?"

"The pier was built ten years ago, and it’s about two or three kilometers from here."

"What’s the nearest village called?"

"Big Locust Tree Village. About a dozen families live there."

"How far is it?"

"Not far. We can drive there in a few minutes."

The sun was setting, casting a dazzling glow on the river. In the afternoon, the lake was calm, the water clear and boundless. The scent of flowers wafted through the air, sweet but not overpowering. It was a beautiful place, perfect for relaxing and no wonder people came here to play. It was pleasant—if not for the murder case.

"Has the water level risen significantly in the last two years?"

"No, the water level hasn't risen much. There's a reservoir downstream that controls the water level."

"How long has tourism been developing here? Like this spot, was it popular five years ago?"

"I’ve asked the locals. Five years ago, many people came here to fish. This area is scenic and flat, a great spot."

Qin Feng turned. "Let's visit the nearby village."

"It's almost dark. Are we going back tonight?"

"We can stay the night and gather more information."

He suspected the perpetrator was a local. Burying the body here meant they likely didn't use a car. The road was bad; dragging a corpse this far from the highway didn't make sense. The suspect probably lived nearby. No one would carry a body to an unfamiliar place to bury it, too risky. But it wouldn’t be too close either. If a local did it, they would bury the body deep in the mountains, not right under everyone’s noses.

"Alright."

The coin dated back to 2009, meaning the death occurred after that, within the last six years. As soon as they got into the car, Liu, the forensic doctor, called. Qin Feng stepped out to answer.

Xiao Wang turned to Lin Fan with a cheeky smile. "Why aren’t you scared? Don’t girls usually scream when they see this stuff?"

Lei Weiyu turned around from the front seat and looked at Lin Fan. "Is she also from the provincial leadership? Part of the crime team?"

Xiao Wang laughed. "No, she’s an expert." One that specialized in dealing with their team leader. "She’s here to check out the case."

"Hello, I’m Lei Weiyu."

Lin Fan smiled and nodded, shaking his hand. "Lin Fan."

Xiao Wang, looking for something to talk about, continued chatting with Lin Fan. "How did you find the coin?"

"I smelled it." Lin Fan’s response was brief, much like Qin Feng's style.

"I’ve heard Qin Feng mention it."

Lin Fan glanced him over, her eyes lingering on his feet. Xiao Wang felt uneasy under her gaze. "What’s wrong with me? Did I do something?"

"You stepped on a spot in the pit that smelled strongly of the corpse."

Xiao Wang: "..."

"The corpse fluid soaked into the soil, and over time, that spot had the strongest odor."

Xiao Wang: "..."

Qin Feng got back in the car and glanced at Xiao Wang and Lin Fan in the back. "What were you talking about?"

"Has the identity of the victim been confirmed?" Xiao Wang straightened up, serious. "If we can't identify the victim, all our work is for nothing."

"It'll take time. It won't be that quick." Qin Feng started the car. "We’ll split up. There are three villages here. Lin Fan and I will take one, and you two will each take one. Ask about any men around 172 cm tall, about 22 years old, who went missing five years ago. Also, check for six-fingered individuals."

"Got it."

Qin Feng dropped them off at the nearby villages and then turned the car back, parking by the roadside and leading Lin Fan into the village. The sky was darkening, and smoke was rising from the village chimneys.

Lin Fan followed Qin Feng. "Aren’t we going back to the county tonight?"

"No, the crime scene is here. The suspect is likely nearby."

"What was the cause of death? The fatal injury?"

Qin Feng gestured for her to be quiet as a middle-aged woman carrying a child approached. He stepped forward and asked, "Do you have a place to stay in the village?"

"Yes, how many of you?" The woman saw Qin Feng's attire and smiled broadly, speaking with a heavy accent. "We offer lodging, fifty yuan a night per room. Want to see?"

With tourists coming here often, villagers had found ways to make money. This was the tourist season, and they earned their yearly income in these few months.

"Okay."

The woman, still holding her child, led the way, chatting cheerfully. Her accent was thick, and Lin Fan couldn’t understand much. She tugged at Qin Feng’s sleeve. "Are we just following her?"

"Yes."

Lin Fan’s eyes brightened, and she smiled. "That’s convenient. This lady seems to know everything about the village."

Qin Feng walked beside Lin Fan, his pace relaxed. Suddenly, he put his arm around her shoulders. Lin Fan was startled and quickly looked back at him. Qin Feng's gaze was deep, almost smiling, as he looked at her.

Lin Fan’s heart skipped a beat. "Wha—what are you looking at?"

Qin Feng stopped, leaning close to her face. The lady in front suddenly turned back. "You guys—"

Qin Feng wiped Lin Fan’s face with his thumb. "Why are you so careless? Got dirt on your face."

Lin Fan stared at his serious face, then couldn't help but laugh when she realized. He straightened up and put his hand back in his pocket. "You had dirt on your face."

Lin Fan couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter.