The Forensic Doctor's Long-Planned Rivalry - Chapter 1

January 15, 2024, outside the National Theater, Paris.

“Teacher Ye! Teacher Ye! Please look this way!”

“Ye Zhuxi, how do you feel about the success of today’s performance?”

“Teacher Ye, today marks the temporary conclusion of this tour. We’ve heard you’ll be taking a six-month break afterward. Will you continue the tour after that?”

In the opulent lobby outside the venue, Ye Zhuxi’s path was completely blocked by a swarm of reporters. The woman at the center of the commotion wore oversized sunglasses that obscured half her face, remaining silent as she moved forward under the protection of her assistants and bodyguards. A woman in a white suit stepped in front of the crowd of journalists, blocking their path with outstretched arms.

The reporters naturally recognized the woman in white—Fu Songyao, Ye Zhuxi’s manager. Anyone who had followed Ye Zhuxi’s career knew Fu Songyao, the indispensable figure who had stood by her side since her debut. Seeing her halt their advance, the journalists understood she would address some of their questions, and they eagerly thrust their microphones forward.

“Please don’t push forward. Teacher Ye has an evening flight back home and needs to return to the hotel to prepare. I’ll stay behind to answer some of your questions,” Fu Songyao said, her fluent English calm and measured as she addressed a blonde woman at the front of the crowd. “This world tour isn’t entirely over yet. After the six-month break, we’ll continue visiting the remaining countries and cities. Further arrangements for the ‘Astonishing Show’ tour will be announced in the coming months. Please be patient.”

“…”

Ye Zhuxi returned to the hotel in a business car. A handful of fans could still be seen trickling in through the main entrance, so the driver circled around and decided to head straight to the underground parking lot.

Her assistant, Xiao Bai, sighed in admiration. “Xi-jie, you’re seriously famous…”

Ye Zhuxi curled her lips into a smile. “Of course.” Her tone dripped with unapologetic confidence and pride. She removed her sunglasses and studied her reflection in the front mirror, clicking her tongue. “With a face like this, it’d be hard not to be famous.”

Xiao Bai laughed in agreement while silently marveling for the umpteenth time: Xi-jie was the most narcissistic person she’d ever met.

But she had every right to be. At 18, Ye Zhuxi had apprenticed under the world-renowned magician Yan Zui. By 20, she was traveling everywhere with her mentor. Even as a young assistant trailing behind her teacher, her beauty had already made her famous. Back then, anyone in the magic circle or audiences who loved magic knew that the great Yan Zui had an exceptionally beautiful apprentice. Her smiling eyes curved like crescent moons, seemingly possessing a magic of their own that could draw people in. This flawless beauty, paired with seamless magic performances, won her countless adoring fans.

If not for the incident three years ago, Ye Zhuxi would likely have remained by Yan Zui’s side, gradually inheriting her teacher’s legacy.

But there were no “ifs” in this world. That day three years ago had been the darkest, most painful day of Ye Zhuxi’s life, the day she lost the teacher she revered and loved.

The business van parked next to the elevator bay, its automatic door sliding open slowly, snapping Xiao Bai out of her jumbled thoughts. She hopped out first, carrying her bag as she quickly followed Ye Zhuxi into the elevator.

This elevator was reserved exclusively for hotel use, requiring a special internal keycard to access the guest floors directly, eliminating any chance of running into fans mid-ride. Ye Zhuxi’s fanbase was enormous. Xiao Bai felt no other celebrity in the domestic entertainment industry came close to such an intimidating level of popularity.

Back in the room, Ye Zhuxi headed straight for the shower. With a flight back home scheduled for the evening, she couldn’t afford to rest just yet. When she stepped out after her shower, she found Fu Songyao lounging on the sofa, scrolling through her tablet.

“Done? I ordered dinner for you. Eat something first.” Fu Songyao didn’t even look up, merely tilting her chin to signal Ye Zhuxi to help herself. Tonight’s performance had been physically demanding, and Ye Zhuxi was undoubtedly starving by now.

Ye Zhuxi plopped onto the sofa, her hair wrapped in a towel, and began shoveling food into her mouth.

Fu Songyao shot her a look of mild disgust. “I really should snap a photo of you like this and post it online. Let your fans see the unfiltered truth behind their ‘goddess.’”

Ye Zhuxi rolled her eyes. “I’m naturally gorgeous. Even eating, I look like a painting. If you posted it, my fans would just scream and flood the comments. No one’s unfollowing.”

“…” Fu Songyao had long grown immune to her narcissism and didn’t bother responding, keeping her eyes glued to the iPad.

Curious, Ye Zhuxi asked, “What’re you looking at? You haven’t glanced away since I came out.”

This time, Fu Songyao did look up. She turned the iPad screen toward Ye Zhuxi and handed it over. “Breaking news from back home.”

“What now?” Ye Zhuxi muttered, uninterested in gossip or tabloid fodder.

But one careless glance was all it took for her eyes to widen in shock.

A headline punctuated by three bold exclamation marks seared into her vision, Renowned magician Wei Lian found dead in his studio; investigation underway!!!

Ye Zhuxi’s eyelids twitched violently as she reread the brief but sensational news piece several times before finally remarking, “Wei Lian’s death seems suspicious. Otherwise, the report wouldn’t specify an ongoing investigation.”

Of course, official sources wouldn’t disclose much detail to the public, and the sparse information offered no real insight.

Wei Lian, as it happened, shared some history with Ye Zhuxi. He belonged to the same generation of magicians as Yan Zui and was even considered her senior, though he lacked her innate talent and international renown. Still, he ranked among China’s top-tier illusionists, frequently appearing at major galas and earning household recognition.

Consequently, his sudden death had sparked significant attention domestically, flooding news feeds with speculation and theories.

Ye Zhuxi, however, remained indifferent. She pushed the iPad back to Fu Songyao and resumed eating. In the past, she’d had occasional interactions with Wei Lian, her mentor often engaged with peers in the magic community and brought her along. But now ever since her teacher’s passing, Ye Zhuxi had distanced herself from that circle, let alone spare a thought for Wei Lian’s demise.

…

Meanwhile, in the capital city of China, inside the Criminal Investigation Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security.

Xu Jiu was quickly skimming through the information on the Wei Lian case. Only after reviewing it once did she look up at the middle-aged woman seated behind the desk.

“Professor Dai, the case will be officially handed over to us tonight. I plan to conduct an autopsy first, then revisit the crime scene.”

Dai Rong, the current director of the Criminal Investigation Bureau, nodded. “This case is complex. Now that it’s been transferred from the local police to your Major Case Unit, you need to solve it as quickly as possible. All necessary support will be provided by other teams. If you have any special requests, just let me know anytime.”

Xu Jiu replied solemnly, “Understood. Professor, if there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave now.”

After leaving the director’s office, Xu Jiu swiftly gathered her loose, straight hair back into a neat ponytail as she walked. Without delay, she headed straight to the forensic center of the Municipal Criminal Police Team. The Wei Lian case had initially been handled by the local precinct, but due to its high-profile nature, the Ministry of Public Security intervened and requested the case be transferred. It was temporarily taken over by the Municipal Bureau’s headquarters, pending the completion of the handover.

As the Ministry’s appointed lead investigator, Xu Jiu’s first task was to take over all case files and immediately conduct a second autopsy. She had no intention of sleeping tonight.

Wei Lian had performed at many major events, making him widely recognized among the public. His death had drawn significant attention. The Capital Municipal Bureau had already prioritized the case, but the reason it was ultimately handed over to the Major Case Unit of the Ministry’s Criminal Investigation Bureau was largely due to Wei Lian’s other identity.

He was currently a key person of interest for the Major Case Unit, suspected of involvement in a major gambling and organized crime case under secret investigation by the Ministry.

This year, the national focus in criminal investigations was on cracking down on gambling and organized crime. Last year, they had identified a major suspect involved in cross-provincial criminal activities. A case led by Xu Jiu’s team. Based on leads from other provinces, Wei Lian had become a prime suspect. He was closely monitored by Xu Jiu’s informants in connection with this interprovincial case, only to suddenly turn up dead.

The initial autopsy by the local precinct’s forensic team confirmed Wei Lian had been murdered, ruling out suicide or accidental death, and classifying it as a criminal case. To be thorough, Xu Jiu decided to conduct another autopsy overnight to verify all available evidence.

At the Municipal Bureau headquarters, she was received by Deputy Chief Luo Zhao, who oversaw criminal forensics for the Capital Criminal Investigation Team. Her personal involvement in the handover indicated her awareness of the national importance placed on such cases.

“If you’re doing a second autopsy, you might as well conduct it here. It’ll save you the trouble of transporting the body, and our facilities are fully equipped.”

Xu Jiu had been thinking the same thing and nodded. “Good. Thank you, Deputy Chief Luo.”

Xu Jiu herself had trained as a forensic examiner. After graduating, she worked at a district precinct under the Capital Bureau before being recruited by Dai Rong to establish the Major Case Unit at the Criminal Investigation Bureau. As the unit’s leader, she was also responsible for handling autopsies for their cases.

The forensic center at the Municipal Bureau was well-equipped, and the morgue provided optimal conditions for preserving the body. Xu Jiu encountered few difficulties during the second autopsy.

Wei Lian’s cause of death was clear: three stab wounds to the left chest, each piercing vital areas of the heart, resulting in immediate death. The time of death was between 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM yesterday. Based on stomach contents, lividity, and other factors, the window could be narrowed further to approximately 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

Notably, a second autopsy revealed subtle signs of coercion on the victim’s chest. Bruising that had been inconspicuous during the initial examination and easily overlooked. This was likely because the time of death had been too recent at that stage, making the faint marks of coercion exceptionally difficult to spot.

Xu Jiu was particularly intrigued by this minor indication of coercion. She carefully photographed it for documentation, completed the final handover procedures at the precinct, and then drove home under the cover of night.