SFTD -Foreword by Zhou Hai, Forensic Pathologist

A Boeing 737 circled in the air as a gentle female voice came through the cabin speakers.

“Ladies and gentlemen:

Thank you for flying with us. The aircraft has safely arrived in Dongnan City, Ludong Province. The ground temperature is 36 degrees Celsius.

Located at the southern tip of the Ludong Peninsula, Dongnan City is backed by mountains and faces the sea. With its beautiful scenery, pleasant climate, red-tiled roofs, green trees, blue seas, and clear skies, it is a uniquely charming coastal city.

At the same time, it is also the second-largest city in Ludong Province and the economic center of the province…”

A man sat by the window.

Even though the flight attendants had already informed everyone to prepare to disembark, he still kept his eyes closed.

Sunlight streamed through the airplane window onto his face. His bangs, hanging down to his brows, parted slightly, revealing a long curved scar that cut across the center of his left brow bone and extended to the corner of his eye.

Only when he felt the plane gradually come to a stop did the man slowly open his eyes.

He raised a hand to put on a pair of oversized black-rimmed glasses and a baseball cap, concealing his appearance.

Zhou Hai had returned.

Dongnan was the city where he had lived before turning eighteen. Now, with his parents gone and ten years passed, everything had changed.

Pressing down the brim of his cap, Zhou Hai carried his luggage and followed the crowd out of the airport.

Sitting in the taxi, he looked at the address in his hand. Aside from the old family home, this fully furnished apartment was the only property his parents had left him.

An hour later, he was already standing inside the apartment.

As he pushed open the window, a faint sea breeze brushed against his face. He opened a document envelope in his hand, revealing an appointment letter stamped with the solemn national emblem.

A faint smile seemed to appear on Zhou Hai’s face.

“Ring~ Ring~ Ring~”

At the same time, the phone in the office of the Director of the Judicial Appraisal Center at the Dongnan City Public Security Bureau rang nonstop.

A small elderly man with thinning gray hair hurried in from the meeting room next door, pushed open the door, and grabbed the phone.

“Hello!”

“Director Pang? This is Liu Yong from the Municipal Bureau.”

The irritation on Director Pang’s face instantly transformed into a broad smile. He raised a hand to smooth down the sparse hair on top of his head.

“So it’s Captain Liu from the Criminal Investigation Team! Oh, look at my memory—shouldn’t I be calling you Deputy Director Liu now? Hahaha! I still haven’t had the chance to congratulate you.”

“You’re too polite, Director Pang. No need to worry about that. I’m calling to notify your center about something. The bureau just sent your center a notice. Have you received it yet?”

A glint flashed through Director Pang’s eyes.

“We’re having the Monday morning meeting next door, so…”

Captain Liu laughed heartily.

“I see. Then let me explain it to you. During this overseas student high-level talent recruitment program, the provincial department recruited two top-tier specialists. After coordination and requests from the bureau leadership, one of the positions—a forensic doctor—was assigned to your center. His name is Zhou Hai, a native of Dongnan City. He holds dual master’s degrees in forensic science and clinical medicine from Stanford University in the United States. He’s also worked at a judicial forensics laboratory in California. We hope his arrival can improve your center’s professional capabilities. Alright, I won’t keep you any longer. The relevant documents have already been sent over, so take a look after your meeting. Oh, and he’ll report for duty next Monday. I brought this talent in, Director Pang, so make sure you keep him this time! Don’t let him get squeezed out like the last one!”

The smile on Director Pang’s face stiffened slightly.

“Rest assured, leadership. Our center will definitely make proper arrangements.”

Captain Liu continued,

“Oh right, didn’t Forensic Doctor Zou from Team Two resign? Since capable people should shoulder more work, I think we’ll let him act as the interim team leader.”

“Understood.”

After hanging up, the smile gradually disappeared from the wrinkles on Director Pang’s face.

An overseas returnee?

There were plenty of highly educated people with impressive degrees, but most of them were all talk and no substance. And one parachuted in from overseas? Even less promising.

The last one had also been an overseas graduate from some prestigious university.

Yet after joining the center, he’d been completely clueless, unable to handle even a simple autopsy. Who knew what this one would be like?

Still, the staffing position he had finally managed to reserve for his wife’s younger brother, Zhao Xinli, seemed destined to fall through again. How was he supposed to explain this to his wife tonight?

Director Pang opened his email and clicked on the unread message marked in red.

Unexpectedly, attached behind the notice was Zhou Hai’s résumé.

He casually opened it and printed both documents. As the printer hummed to life, Director Pang removed his reading glasses and looked toward the computer screen.