SCIAW: Chapter 295: A Case Full of Strange Things

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Detectives from the Forensics Department were diligently photographing the scene.

“This is brutal.”

The scene was horrific beyond words.

Even veteran forensic investigators rarely came across something this gruesome.

“The body still retains some warmth, which means the victim hasn’t been dead long.”

“Beheaded… Judging from the blood patterns, the head was likely severed after the victim had crawled a short distance.”

This much could be determined from the blood trails and residual marks on-site.

However, one issue continued to baffle the detectives.

“Why didn’t the two victims resist?”

From the scene’s condition, there were barely any signs of a struggle. The bodies showed almost no resistance wounds, at least based on initial physical assessments.

“The beheading was a clean, single strike. A normal human wouldn’t be capable of that kind of strength.”

One of the forensics detectives gave his analysis.

“Yeah. Judging by the position of the lower half of the body, the victim wasn’t knocked out but was nearly cut in half while still standing. Under normal circumstances, the human muscular system would instinctively tense up and resist foreign intrusion, and the spine is the body’s hardest internal structure. Unless you’re using high-tension steel wire being dragged at great speed, this shouldn’t be possible.”

Another forensic officer followed up with his own assessment.

But as soon as they finished speaking, both of them looked around the surrounding area.

The pathway was narrow, flanked by dense forest. In such an environment, there was no way to drag a steel wire at high speed.

“It wasn’t the wire moving at high speed, and the victims clearly weren’t either. From the moment we arrived, there were no tire tracks—only footprints from shoes.”

Another detective added his input.

“That’s not all. The trees around here don’t show any marks from tension wires. With the amount of force required, they’d definitely leave some scarring on the bark.”

While the two were caught in the headache of analyzing the scene, they spotted Detective Chiba and Detective Takagi approaching.

“How’s the situation? Any leads?”

Detective Chiba asked as the two forensic techs summarized their findings and reached a firm conclusion.

“Detective Chiba, we haven’t completed the full analysis yet, but based on what we’ve seen so far, the killer nearly split the victim in half and then decapitated them with a single strike.”

“Kinoshita and I agree—this isn’t something an ordinary person could do. But we haven’t found any physical evidence or clues in the surrounding environment.”

Watching the two scratch their heads in frustration, Chiba Kazunobu nodded slightly.

“Understood. Don’t worry too much about how the murder was committed. Just focus on collecting evidence at the scene.”

“Yes, sir!”

The two forensic detectives saluted and resumed their detailed inspection of the site.

After confirming the status of the scene, Chiba Kazunobu walked back with Takagi Wataru.

Along the way, it wasn’t just the detectives at the immediate crime scene who were working. Officers searched the forests on either side of the road, combing through every inch. No one was idle.

The bronze-skinned detective walking beside Chiba Kazunobu couldn’t help but ask,

“Chiba, is this kind of situation normal for a case like this?”

“Not even close.”

Chiba casually waved his hand, giving a decisive response.

“It’s not that easy to cut a human body in half. Muscle tissue contracts to resist foreign force, and our bones protect vital organs. Aside from teeth, human bones are ridiculously hard.”

“If steel has a hardness rating of 7 to 8, human bones are at least a 4 or 5. Realistically, it’s impossible to split someone in half with a regular blade. You’d need something massive and heavy falling with enough gravity, or high-speed steel wire to apply the necessary force.”

“Otherwise, there’s just no way to slice through a body with human strength alone.”

After giving that brief explanation, Chiba added another analogy.

“It’s like when you buy meat. Do you think the butcher can just chop through pork and thick bone in one swing? Not a chance.”

Just as he was about to move forward again, Chiba suddenly stopped and turned to his colleague.

“Takagi, don’t mention what I just said to the victims. We don’t want them thinking we’re doubting the credibility of those two young ladies.”

“Also, if you screw up again, you’ll really be back working traffic.”

Takagi Wataru nodded quickly.

He had already messed up quite a bit at the MPD recently. During one operation, he almost shot a fellow officer due to a careless mistake. Later, his overexcitement nearly ruined another operation entirely. On top of that, during the Tsukikage Island investigation, he irresponsibly shared sensitive intel with civilians.

All of this nearly got him demoted to traffic patrol duty.

Takagi wasn’t stupid. He knew that if he was transferred back, there’d be zero chance of getting promoted again. He’d be stuck handing out parking tickets for the next ten years.

Seeing that the idiot was finally listening, Chiba Kazunobu sighed.

To be honest, dealing with him was exhausting.

Maybe that’s what happens when a guy spends years as a traffic officer before suddenly switching to investigations. It takes time to adjust.

Still, experience could be built little by little, as long as he didn’t make mistakes every day.

Otherwise, you’d be packing your bags before you ever got the hang of the job.

Chiba Kazunobu and Takagi Wataru crossed the wooden suspension bridge, passed the staff stationed out front, and entered the villa.

“Huh? The cut marks on the bodies match the axe found on the killer?”

As soon as Chiba stepped inside, he heard Inspector Megure exclaim.

“Confirmed? Really? Got it.”

After hanging up the phone, Inspector Megure looked visibly troubled.

A man had used an axe to split two people in half and then decapitate them. The wounds matched the axe precisely, and the cause of death was basically confirmed.

And yet, despite how straightforward it sounded, this case was still filled with inexplicable elements.

(To be continued.)