SFTD -Chapter 186 A Severed Thumb (Part 16)

6:30 a.m., March 4th, Dongnan City Forensic Identification Center.

While compiling all the collected data, Zhou Hai and the others watched the morning news broadcast on Dongnan TV. The paper, ink, and test tube analyses still failed to reveal any meaningful connection, leaving everyone deep in thought.

At the same time, many others were also glued to the news.

Director Liu and Station Chief Li from Dongnan Television sat inside the control room outside the live studio.

To be absolutely safe, the station had adjusted all delay systems that morning. Every live feed was being broadcast with a thirty-second delay so they could react immediately if anything unexpected happened.

Station Chief Li sat nervously beside Director Liu. Earlier that morning, all reporters and hosts had been gathered for an emergency briefing. They had repeatedly been reminded what kind of case this was and how important it was to control public panic.

Now, with nearly an hour having passed without incident, Li wiped the sweat from his forehead. During a switch to an international news segment, he leaned toward Director Liu.

“Director Liu, there’s only the weather forecast and today’s vegetable prices left in the morning program. Aren’t we being a little too nervous…?”

Director Liu glanced at him.

“Until the very last minute, nobody can make conclusions. Even if it’s fake, we have to treat it as real. If panic spreads, it becomes a major incident.”

Just then, the international segment ended and the weather forecast began. A young host stood beside a weather map, explaining that Dongnan would face several days of rain and falling temperatures.

Soon, the broadcast returned to the studio. The male host joked cheerfully:

“Looks like tomorrow’s Lantern Festival will also be spent in rainy weather. So before the holiday arrives, have vegetable prices changed much? Let’s connect to our reporter Cui Yun on location. Hello, Cui Yun, where are you now?”

The screen immediately split in two. One side showed the male anchor, while the other displayed a young female reporter with cute tiger teeth showing in her smile.

“Hello, Yuan Bin. I’m currently at the Changhe Vegetable Wholesale Market.”

“Tomorrow is the Lantern Festival, so Cui Yun, please tell everyone about today’s prices.”

As the male host finished speaking, the broadcast fully switched to Cui Yun. She nodded brightly.

“Alright, everyone, come take a look with us. The Changhe Vegetable Wholesale Market is especially crowded today. The seafood stalls outside are already packed, and all the fresh seafood has been laid out early this morning—”

At that moment, Director Liu’s phone rang.

Seeing Zhou Hai’s name, he immediately answered.

“Director Liu, cut the vegetable price segment immediately and end the morning news broadcast. We just saw the weather report here. I’ve already sent Chu Menghan to Changhe Vegetable Wholesale Market. I think this is the killer’s dumping site.”

Director Liu slapped Li on the shoulder.

“Cut the vegetable segment now! Isn’t there a delay?”

Li froze and pointed at the screen.

“There is, but nothing’s wrong—”

Director Liu shot to his feet and yanked him up.

“I said cut it! If something happens, can you take responsibility?!”

At that exact moment, screams erupted from the live feed.

The cameraman instinctively swung the camera toward the noise.

Beside the female reporter’s seafood stall, a man stood screaming while holding a basket. A human foot had fallen out from among the clams inside.

Everyone nearby recoiled in terror and scattered backward.

Station Chief Li went pale and waved frantically at the broadcast director.

“Stop! Stop! Cut the vegetable price segment!”

Behind him, the director scrambled in panic. Although the screaming footage was quickly removed, Cui Yun had already appeared onscreen. Fortunately, the studio host reacted quickly.

He forced a laugh.

“My goodness, it seems today’s signal has been interrupted too! Thank you everyone for watching this morning’s news. See you tomorrow.”

The moment the broadcast ended, the hosts and crew crowded around the monitor. The cameraman at the scene hadn’t shut off his camera, and Director Liu had already obtained the field reporter’s phone number from the production staff.

“Hello!”

The female reporter’s voice trembled violently. Even though they’d been warned beforehand, now that it was happening to her personally, fear had made her limbs go weak.

“I’m Liu Yong, captain of the Criminal Police Unit. Don’t panic. Stay calm. The killer wants to create fear. My people are already on the way and will arrive in minutes. Follow my instructions carefully and don’t hang up. Stand where you are and shout to everyone: ‘I’ve already called the police. Officers are on their way. Nobody move. My camera has recorded everyone’s positions so nobody falls under suspicion later.’ Now have your cameraman slowly rotate the camera and record everyone around you.”

Cui Yun had the phone on speaker. Beside her, the cameraman had already aimed the lens toward the crowd. A journalist’s instinctive sensitivity to breaking news had made him strangely excited, and the camera rotated steadily, capturing every face.

Just as the lens completed a full circle, the sound of police sirens approached from the distance.

Whether it was Cui Yun at the market or Director Liu watching the monitor, both finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Director Liu turned to look at Station Chief Li, who had collapsed weakly into a chair. His expression became much colder.

“No video footage is allowed to leak. I’m heading to the scene now. If I find out anyone at your station leaked the footage, you know exactly what’ll happen.”

After hanging up with Director Liu, Zhou Hai grabbed his coat and forensic case and sprinted downstairs, leading Team Two straight toward Changhe Vegetable Wholesale Market.

Fengzi drove well over the speed limit, but nobody cared anymore.

By the time their sirens screamed into the market, Chu Menghan’s team had already arrived. Officers were maintaining order, registering witnesses before allowing them to leave, and deleting all videos from their phones.

Carrying his case, Zhou Hai headed toward the seafood section. The cameraman with the shoulder-mounted camera stood out immediately, making it easy for them to locate the stall.

Fengzi and Xiao Liang circled around the back to inspect the truck directly, while Zhou Hai and Xu Biao began examining the severed limb—one taking photographs, the other inspecting.

The moment Zhou Hai touched it through his gloves, an icy chill stabbed into his fingers.

“It’s still frozen.”

Xu Biao glanced at the clams beneath the human foot and smacked his lips.

“What a waste of clams.”

Zhou Hai lifted the severed foot. It was freezing cold, though no ice crystals remained on the surface. Clearly, the limb had been hidden among the clams for quite some time, chilling everything around it.

The sole was thick with calluses. The heel was rough and cracked. There were pale burn scars across the top of the foot, and the toenails were packed with black grime.

Even without a DNA test, Zhou Hai could tell this belonged to the male victim, Wang Yanming.

The cross-section at the ankle had not been soaked in saltwater.

The instant Zhou Hai saw that, his eyes narrowed sharply.

Just like the severed thumb, the cut surface showed signs of vital reaction. The surrounding blood vessels, ligaments, muscle tissue, and skin had all contracted.

The victim’s foot had clearly been sawed off while he was still alive.

“Brother Hai, come look! There’s more over here!”

Zhou Hai sealed the severed foot inside the evidence bag Xu Biao prepared and quickly headed toward Xiao Liang and Fengzi.

But halfway there, he suddenly stopped.

At the parking spot beside a silver mini-truck sat two large perforated plastic tubs used for storing clams. Black plastic bags lined the inside.

The upper tub had already been opened by Xiao Liang.

At that moment, Xiao Liang was holding another severed foot in his hands, staring wide-eyed at Zhou Hai.

This one was far paler and slimmer than the first.

Clearly, it belonged to Victim A.

Xu Biao sucked in a cold breath beside them.

“Holy shit… there’s this many?!”