NOS Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Mopan Mountain (II)

Chapter 2: Mopan Mountain (II)

The One Zero Three Forest Farm in Za Mu Er, once the largest timber harvesting area in the Jin A Lin Mountain region, gradually declined after the rapid collapse of the No. 2 Timber Factory. With the advent of logging bans, it eventually transformed into a desolate wilderness, sparsely populated, to the point where even Guan Yao, a local boy from the Forest Farm, rarely set foot there anymore.

Especially after the No. 2 Timber Factory was reduced to ashes in a major fire thirty-three years ago, the entire Mopan Mountain seemed shrouded in an eerie atmosphere, making people feel incredibly oppressed and heavy-hearted.

And just this morning, during this time of rapidly decreasing temperatures between autumn and winter, a forest ranger on a routine patrol discovered a human hand hidden in the bushes at the bottom of an abandoned Watchtower below the Old Plank Road on Mopan Mountain.

“Has the identity been confirmed?” Guan Yao asked urgently, putting down his lunchbox.

Shu Wen shook her head. “We’ve only found a hand so far. Chief Zhang ordered everyone, whether on duty or off, to go up the mountain to search. The criminal investigation team from the Branch Bureau will be here shortly.”

Speaking of this, she lowered her voice and said, “I heard that the higher-ups were shocked by this incident, and because the position of the director of our Municipal Branch Bureau has been vacant since the incident in May this year, the criminal investigation department directly reported the case to the Jin A Lin Mountain Regional Security Bureau. After all, tourism here has finally started to develop in the past two years, and the Administrative Office has issued a strict order, regardless of the reason, to thoroughly investigate this matter as soon as possible and absolutely not to allow the impact to spread.”

Hearing this, Guan Yao slapped the dumbfounded Meng Changqing, “Stop sitting here acting like ‘The Great God’, drive the car.”

After speaking, he pulled out his cell phone and dialed Yu Chunming’s number.

At noon that day, when Guan Yao drove to the foot of Mopan Mountain, Yu Chunming had already been waiting there for a long time.

He was still wearing that black leather jacket, so it seemed that he hadn’t gone far before Guan Yao’s phone call summoned him to the scene.

“Officer Yu, have you eaten?” Meng Changqing stepped forward and asked.

Guan Yao pressed the back of the young man’s head, forcing him to turn one hundred and eighty degrees, “You and Li Xiaotian are a group.”

“I…”

“Let’s go.” Without waiting for Meng Changqing to retort, Li Xiaotian, Guan Yao’s old colleague from the Law Enforcement Team, stepped forward and took his arm, “We’ll go up the mountain along the Wild Path, you guys go from the Lumber Yard side.”

While the men were talking, Yu Chunming stood on the side quietly watching. After Guan Yao had arranged everyone, he finally spoke up and asked, “What about me?”

Right now, only he and Guan Yao were standing at the foot of the mountain, so the question was superfluous.

Guan Yao glanced at him, “You follow me.”

Yu Chunming didn’t seem to have any objections. He simply took out a cigarette from his pocket and pressed the lighter.

Guan Yao frowned, “No fires are allowed in the forest protection area.”

“What?” Yu Chunming seemed not to have heard clearly.

“No fires are allowed in the forest protection area,” Guan Yao repeated impatiently. Then, under Yu Chunming’s gaze, he directly reached out and plucked the cigarette from the man’s mouth, “Do you have any awareness of preventing forest fires?”

After speaking, he picked up his flashlight, hooked on his pager, and walked past the silent Yu Chunming towards the Lumber Yard.

Mopan Mountain wasn’t high, but it stretched extremely far to the left and right. In recent years, the Forest Farm had been shut down, and there were few people on the mountain. Following the old road taken by the Lumber Yard and the timber workers, the ropes and trestle roads that had been built thirty or forty years ago were already rusty and severely damaged. In this late autumn season, as the birch leaves in the mountains turned yellow, frost and dew all over the ground congealed into crushed ice, and gusts of bone-chilling wind swept in.

Guan Yao walked beside Yu Chunming, using his peripheral vision to glance at his face.

This person was naturally pale, but that wasn’t anything special, because there were too many naturally pale people in the northern border regions. However, Yu Chunming was a bit different from them. Yu Chunming was not only pale, but also a bloodless kind of pallor. Especially from Guan Yao’s perspective, his tightly pursed lips didn’t seem to have any color at all.

“Are you cold?” Guan Yao suddenly asked.

Yu Chunming’s nose was clearly red from the cold, but he still said, “I’m not cold.”

“There are cotton police uniforms in the car,” Guan Yao said, then couldn’t help but add, “This place is not like a big city. Once winter sets in, the White Hair Wind blows every day.”

Yu Chunming turned his head and looked at Guan Yao, “If you’re cold, I can go down the mountain to get one for you.”

Guan Yao frowned, “I was asking you…”

“Ah!” Before he could finish speaking, a scream came from the other side of the hill not far away. Immediately afterwards, the walkie-talkies hanging on their waists rang.

“Old Guan, three o’clock direction from the Lumber Yard, behind the Forest Ranger Station,” Li Xiaotian’s voice came from the other end.

The Forest Ranger Station behind the three o’clock direction from the Lumber Yard had actually been abandoned for many years. Now, only a small hut covered with leaves stood in the frosty forest.

Meng Changqing and Li Xiaotian stood behind the hut with serious expressions. Their pale faces were filled with foreboding.

“What are you yelling for? Your yell almost collapsed the mountain,” Guan Yao said with a slightly displeased expression as he passed Meng Changqing.

Meng Changqing pursed his lips and raised his foot to point at the sole of his shoe, “Master, if you stepped on it, you would scream too.”

Guan Yao’s eyes narrowed, and his gaze stopped on the fallen leaves and dead wood behind Meng Changqing, where something seemed to be hanging.

“It looks like torn-off human tissue.” Yu Chunming squatted down and quickly put on gloves. “The temperature is low here. Human tissue won’t immediately decompose after being exposed to the air, but judging from the color and surface morphology, it should have been hanging for some time. I speculate that this is probably still in the initial stage of corpse decomposition.”

Yu Chunming’s wording was very professional. What he called “human tissue” actually looked like strands of muscle hanging on the dead wood.

“Officer Yu, how, how do you know it’s human tissue and not animal flesh?” Meng Changqing asked cautiously.

Yu Chunming stood up, making space for the others so they could see more clearly. “Because one of the pieces of muscle is still connected to a small piece of bone, and this place should be the human ankle.”

After speaking, he looked up at Meng Changqing, “What did you step on just now?”

Meng Changqing timidly said, “Brother Xiaotian and I were on a routine patrol, circling the house. Just when we turned to the back, I stepped on something… something very soft.”

“What thing?” Yu Chunming saw that Meng Changqing was hesitant to speak, so he had to press him further.

But Meng Changqing suddenly covered his mouth and turned around to “wow” and vomit. Guan Yao quickly stepped back and said in a low voice, “You’re really bringing honor to my face.”

Yu Chunming didn’t take it to heart. He walked in the direction Meng Changqing pointed and, sure enough, saw a pool of skin tissue mixed with flesh and blood. The surface of these skin tissues had already begun to breed maggots.

“Notify the others and have the Criminal Investigation Brigade of the Branch Bureau send people to investigate the scene.” He spoke halfway before Yu Chunming paused, as if he had suddenly remembered something. “Where was the severed hand found earlier? Were there any bloodstains remaining around it?”

Meng Changqing, who had just finished vomiting, glanced around and whispered, “At the foot of the Watchtower, about a kilometer away from here. The forest rangers pass by there every day on their mountain patrols, so it’s obvious if anything is added or missing on the ground. This morning, Deputy Director Shu and Fang Wang went to the village to reissue an ID card for Director Wang’s disabled daughter, and they happened to meet Old Zhao, the forest ranger, who ran down the mountain to call the police. I haven’t been there, but according to Old Zhao, there were no bloodstains remaining on the ground, only a severed hand.”

“The Watchtower one kilometer away,” Guan Yao gasped. “I think the shape of this minced meat looks like it was caused by wild animals tearing it apart. Could it be that it wasn’t a homicide…”

“Even if it wasn’t, the person’s time of death must be earlier than when they were torn apart by wild animals.” Yu Chunming interrupted Guan Yao.

Guan Yao was surprised. “How do you know that?”

“Looking at the distribution of bloodstains and… the shape of the human tissue, if a person was bitten and injured by a wild animal while alive and then died, then he would definitely have caused blood to splatter during the struggle, and would also have left different degrees of scars on the wild animal’s body. However, if the victim has already died and the body is placed in the wilderness, the wild animals smell the blood and then tear it apart and eat it, the cross-section of the human tissue will be similar to… frozen meat, with no excessive bloodstains remaining around it, especially on Mopan Mountain, where the temperature drops below zero every night. Of course, it can’t be ruled out that neither the Watchtower nor here is the first crime scene, and that the person was indeed bitten to death by a wild animal, and after being exposed to the wilderness, attracted more wild beasts. If we can find the victim’s bones, clothing, and large areas of bloodstains, then the criminal technicians will be able to determine the real cause of death,” Yu Chunming said as he took off his gloves.

“Right, right!” Meng Changqing excitedly raised his head, ignoring the flesh and blood on the ground, and was about to move forward. “These human tissues really look like the frozen meat my mom buys back home.”

Li Xiaotian grabbed him, “Alright, alright, just stand here and don’t move. Wait for the people investigating the scene to come over.”

On the other side, Guan Yao asked Yu Chunming again, “Since it’s possible that they were torn apart into this shape after death, can you determine how long the victim has been dead?”

Yu Chunming glanced at Guan Yao, “I can’t, I have to wait for the forensic doctor, but, broken into this shape, I guess it won’t be easy for the forensic doctor either.”

At this time, Wang Zun, the deputy director of the Linchang Police Station in charge of criminal cases, rushed over after hearing the news. He had never seen such a cruel scene either, and the horrible bones and muscles all over the ground made Wang Zun frown repeatedly.

“I’ll stay here and guard, you guys continue searching.” Wang Zun patted Yu Chunming, who was still staring at the ground in a daze, “Don’t look, hurry up, the Branch Bureau just sent a document requiring us to cooperate with the criminal police and forensic doctors from the Regional Bureau, work overtime, and investigate missing persons.”

Yu Chunming slowly straightened up, but still stood still, “Who are the criminal police coming from the Jin A Lin Mountain Regional Bureau?”

“What?” Wang Zun was still unaccustomed to Yu Chunming’s tone, as if he were a leader instructing his subordinates. He scratched the back of his head and said perfunctorily, “How would I know? Hurry up and search the mountain. Three police dogs have been borrowed from the special police team. We must complete the task today.”

Yu Chunming didn’t ask any more questions. He just took a deep look at the flesh and blood all over the ground, then turned and walked past Guan Yao into the mountains.

Whether it was a homicide or not, and whether it was a major malicious case or not, was still not well-defined at present. But if it was true, as Yu Chunming said, that the victim was dismembered by wild animals after death, then how to continue the investigation remained to be discussed. However, Guan Yao had been a policeman in Za Mu Er for more than ten years, and this was the first time he had encountered a victim with such a tragic death.

Anyone who saw human tissue all over the ground would feel a tightness in their chest. Even Guan Yao, an experienced policeman, couldn’t help but feel a blockage in his chest when he recalled the muscles and bones hanging in the bushes.

But Yu Chunming was different. This person’s expression was normal, and he didn’t seem to have any discomfort at all.

Guan Yao stared at the scar and bruising on the back of his neck and frowned, “Hey, have you… seen a lot of cases like this before?”

Yu Chunming turned his head and looked at Guan Yao as if he hadn’t heard clearly.

Guan Yao waited for a long time, but didn’t receive his answer, so he had to repeat it again, “I said, have you seen a lot of cases like this before?”

Yu Chunming paused, “No, I’ve only seen two.”

Guan Yao said “Oh”, “You look very skilled, I thought you, cough, solved many major cases.”

Yu Chunming didn’t speak again. Guan Yao saw him rubbing the root of his left ear, his brow furrowing slightly.

“Um, do you have any colleagues you know at our Regional Bureau?” Guan Yao asked again.

Yu Chunming looked at him again, “What did you say?”

Guan Yao opened his mouth, feeling that he was speaking clearly and at an appropriate volume. So what was wrong with this person? Was he pretending to be deaf and mute, or was he really deaf and mute?

“Sorry,” before Guan Yao could figure out the mystery in his heart, Yu Chunming took the initiative to speak first. He said, “I’ve been thinking about the case, can you say it again?”

Guan Yao squeezed out a not-so-good-looking smile, “It’s okay, I was talking to myself.”

After speaking, he put his hands in his pockets and walked quickly to the front.

Thus, the meticulous Guan Yao failed to see the faint look of annoyance on Yu Chunming’s face, which was usually expressionless. He rubbed the root of his ear and the scar on the back of his neck again, and in the cold autumn and winter weather, cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

That day, the police officers of the Linchang Police Station searched Mopan Mountain for an entire day, but found nothing. It wasn’t until late at night, when the temperature in the mountains dropped below zero, that everyone returned to the station.

Shu Wen’s nose was running from the cold. She looked up, staring with red eyes, and shouted loudly, “Someone, quickly give me a napkin!”

“What napkin do you need? Just use your sleeve to get by,” Li Xiaotian exhaled a cold breath, opened the door of the office and was about to huddle under the radiator, but after sticking close, he belatedly shouted, “When are they going to turn on the heat?”

“Soon, the notice said September 25th, just a few days left, hang in there,” Guan Yao replied.

Li Xiaotian was a short, stout man, but even so, he was frozen stiff. He complained, “My underfloor heating already has heat, why is it still so cold and damp here?”

Meng Changqing had already brought a large bucket of corn porridge from the cafeteria. He put down the bucket, looked around, and asked strangely, “Hey, where’s Officer Yu?”

Hearing this, Guan Yao was also stunned. He stood up and looked downstairs, “He was with me when we came in.”

“Maybe Captain Han called him away.” At this time, Shu Wen said.

Guan Yao’s eyelids jumped, “Captain Han, what Captain Han?”

Shu Wen sniffled and replied, “Han Chen, the captain of the First Brigade from the Regional Bureau detachment. When he went upstairs just now, he specifically asked me if Officer Yu had come back. I guess they knew each other before.”

Hearing this, Guan Yao stood up abruptly and was about to walk downstairs.

Meng Changqing called out blankly, “Master, where are you going?”

The Linchang Police Station wasn’t big. From top to bottom, it was only two floors. No matter who did what here, people passing by could see it clearly.

Today, a major case occurred at the One Zero Three Forest Farm. Criminal police and forensic doctors from the Za Mu Er Branch Bureau and the Jin A Lin Mountain Regional Bureau were piled up in this small police station. People came and went. How could Guan Yao remember when Yu Chunming “mysteriously disappeared” from behind him?

He walked through the special police team gathered downstairs counting the number of people and dogs, and saw at a glance the two men standing on the steps in front of the police station talking.

One of them was Yu Chunming, and the other was a tall man with glasses on his face.

Was this Han Chen? Guan Yao’s footsteps faltered.

As early as five months ago, before Yu Chunming had come to the Linchang Police Station, Guan Yao had heard about it when he went to the Regional Bureau for a meeting. The province had sent down a young policeman to replace Feng Song, the retired former captain of the First Brigade. It was said that he was just over thirty years old this year.

Han Chen did look just over thirty years old. He had regular features and a gentle temperament, not like a policeman, but more like a teacher teaching in some university.

This person didn’t stay still in front of Yu Chunming. First, he reached out to pat the broken leaves stuck on his shoulder for him, and then wanted to touch his earlobe.

Yu Chunming took a step back, his expression faintly displeased.

“What are you standing there for?” Just as Han Chen was preparing to take another step forward, Guan Yao interrupted his action with a yell. He saw the policeman carrying the cotton uniform frowning and pointing at Yu Chunming, “Hurry up and come up to work.”

Yu Chunming’s expression relaxed, and he wasn’t angry at all at Guan Yao’s rather harsh tone. He nodded slightly to Han Chen, and then quickly pushed open the door and entered the hall.

“After wandering outside for a day, you’re still standing there in the cold wind after coming back.” Guan Yao threw the cotton police uniform in his hand into Yu Chunming’s arms, “Just issued by the station.”

Yu Chunming didn’t refuse. He said in a low voice to Guan Yao, “Thank you.”

——Whether he was thanking him for giving him the clothes, or thanking him for calling him back.

Guan Yao awkwardly touched his chin, then awkwardly touched the back of his head, and finally looked at Han Chen, who was still standing at the door.

This young, promising, handsome, and elegant criminal police captain probably wasn’t afraid of the cold. He rubbed his hands, took out a cigarette, and lit it.

“Acting all mysterious,” Guan Yao blurted out the words that should have been kept in his heart.

This time, Yu Chunming turned his head sensitively, “Who are you talking about?”

Guan Yao was stunned, and then pointed to Han Chen outside the door, “Isn’t someone who is still blowing in the cold wind outside on a day like this acting all mysterious?”

After speaking, he saw Yu Chunming, whose face was always as cold as frost, raise the corners of his mouth and actually smile at him.