Chapter 563: A Stark Reminder

Book Chapter 563: A Stark Reminder That We Are Worthless (Update 1)

Seeing the two bewildered older guys, Xiao Yu thought of a joke. Lin

One day, someone went in for surgery.

Doctor: Hang in there, Li Ming—don’t be afraid!

Patient: My name isn’t Li Ming.

Doctor: Oh, I’m Li Ming.

Patient: …

“A key sign of carbon monoxide poisoning is that the deceased’s skin and lips turn a cherry-red hue.”

Since they were one of our own, Xiao Yu took a moment to educate the two gentlemen, adding, “In other cases, the skin and lips of the deceased usually display a bluish or purplish tint.”

“Carbon monoxide poisoning typically occurs in poorly ventilated or sealed spaces when a carbon stove is ignited.”

“Since the carbon monoxide from the burning stove can’t escape rapidly, it builds up indoors and causes poisoning…”

“Understood.”

Wang Dong and Zhao Long nodded, each silently thinking, ‘Learned something new.’

“Each field has its experts—that’s what they know,”

Although both of them stood at the pinnacle of their professions,

that didn’t mean they were the best in every field.

It’s like asking Steve Jobs to manage a mutual fund or Buffett to build smartphones.

“Why carbon monoxide poisoning?”

Wang Dong furrowed his brow and asked the crucial question, “Who even uses carbon-based products? If it were a carbon product, wouldn’t there be traces indoors?”

After all, he primarily handled domestic cases; his autopsy experience might be lacking, but his investigative instincts were sharp.

There was simply no carbon stove or similar item at the crime scene.

In today’s world, carbon stoves are a rarity.

Even for barbecuing, most people now use electric grills.

Unless you’re out camping and happen to bring a carbon stove to grill something.

Otherwise, who would use carbon-based products?

“Wang, use your head,”

Xiao Yu rolled his eyes and pointed toward the kitchen. “If I’m not mistaken, their fuel wasn’t natural gas but… coal gas!”

Wang Dong’s face suddenly lit up with understanding.

A coal gas leak causes poisoning that mimics carbon monoxide poisoning!

“There are no signs of a struggle, and the face shows no abnormal post-mortem expressions.”

Zhao Long studied the corpse and asked with a furrowed brow, “Could it be suicide?”

He was a battle-hardened special forces soldier.

He was intimately familiar with both the dead and their bodies.

Operatives like him even study corpse dissections.

They master every vulnerability of the human body to better defeat their enemies.

“What nonsense—do special forces really need to learn all that?”

First, you must understand the role of a soldier.

Not only do they protect the nation, but when needed, operatives like Zhao Long

transform into genuine weapons—tools of slaughter.

Everything they learn is for combat and… killing!

“Exactly.”

Wang Dong agreed with Zhao Long, saying, “If it were merely a coal gas leak, wouldn’t the deceased have noticed a strong odor? And if he did, why resort to cutting his wrists? That behavior clearly signals a desire for suicide.”

“Use your head, use your head, use your head… say it three times if you must!”

Xiao Yu rolled his eyes dramatically. “Did you notice that when you arrived, the gas valve was closed? Who closed it? The victim? If he had turned the valve on and then slit his wrists, how did he manage to shut it off? And was shutting it even necessary?”

“…”

Wang Dong and Zhao Long exchanged a glance, their cheeks flushing.

Damn it—indeed, who closed the gas valve?

They had planned to show off a bit in front of Xiao Yu,

but reality proved cruel.

They ended up embarrassing themselves in front of Little Brother.

But don’t you think that went too far?

Was it really meant to constantly remind us that we’re merely pawns—or even trash?

The trio entered the kitchen and opened the gas valve.

They confirmed that it was indeed coal gas!

Now, another perplexing question emerged.

If someone deliberately opened the gas to cause carbon monoxide poisoning as a means to kill the victim—and even inflicted wrist-slitting—why did the victim not resist?

Any signs of struggle or physical conflict would have been evident at the scene.

But there was nothing.

And what about the victim’s ‘peacefully asleep’ expression?

How could that be?

That’s not something one can fake, right?

It’s impossible to simulate!

“How was it done?”

Even Xiao Yu was at a loss, murmuring, “Pre-dosed? No—if someone could execute this so flawlessly, they wouldn’t resort to such crude methods. There’s likely nothing significant to be found inside.”

Soon, the forensic team arrived, and the body was taken away for a complete autopsy.

Their findings seemed to confirm Xiao Yu’s suspicions.

The forensic report concluded that the death was a suicide, with the victim succumbing to carbon monoxide poisoning during the process!

Hearing this, Xiao Yu’s heart skipped several beats, his scalp tingling and every hair on his body standing on end.

Something wasn’t adding up—how could someone pull this off?

If you were to do it yourself, what would you do?

Xiao Yu’s pupils suddenly contracted as his expression slowly turned blank.

After a moment, his fixed eyes began to tremble while his mind raced and his breathing quickened.

In an instant, Xiao Yu seemed to unravel a long-standing mystery.

Or perhaps, one lingering question finally found its answer.

“So that’s how it was…”

Xiao Yu snorted, “Is it all in the nose?”

During a second autopsy, even the victim Yue Jianbai’s medical history was unearthed.

“A mechanical blockage in the nasal cavity led to olfactory nerve malfunction… causing a loss of smell!”

Reviewing both the corpse and his medical records, Xiao Yu chuckled.

“Now this is interesting!”

……

A business suite in a hotel had been converted into a temporary meeting room.

“The deceased, Yue Jianbai—no, he should now be considered a victim—worked as a technical worker at the Ordnance Factory.”

“He was mainly responsible for quality control during the mixing of gunpowder—in short, he inspected the mixed gunpowder.”

“According to the investigation, over more than two years the victim Yue Jianbai repeatedly used a delivery app to hire couriers, selling chilled bullets to suspect Gong Xu as a supplier.”

“Suspect Gong Xu then resold them to suspect Lu Weiting, pairing the bullets with firearms for illegal sales!”

“Based on the couriers’ testimonies, every time they collected the goods it was from a specified location, and they never even met the victim Yue Jianbai in person—everything was arranged via the delivery app.”

“Yet the registration on the app was unmistakably in Yue Jianbai’s name, using his personal details and phone number.”

“It can be confirmed…”

Xiao Yu looked around at everyone and stated firmly, “Either Yue Jianbai himself or someone using his identity—using his gunpowder formula and other methods—manufactured bullets for resale!”

A collective, silent sigh echoed among all those present.

F City’s Ordnance Factory was doomed!

End

The End